In an extraordinary statement, Judge ONeill spoke directly to Diazs daughter, Caroline. A previous version of this article said the district attorneys office reviewed 108 cases involving the detectives. Jim White moves his family after losing his last job as a football coach, and at his new school he turns seven disappointing students into one of the best cross-country teams in the region. In May 2020, Diaz was released from a halfway house in Sacramento, where he was staying after serving his time. Welcome to Killing County. 1999 - 2000 Damacio Diaz, 44, of McFarland, formerly a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department, was sentenced today to five years in prison for bribery . The Diaz brothers represent 3 of the 7 runners from the McFarland Cross Country team of 1987. So, with myself, they [CHUCKLES] made me chubby in the movie. Diaz was not remanded into custody. Mr. White had a lot more influence [on the script]. In fact, a blink of an eye as you drive down Highway 99 in California and you will miss it. [LAUGHS] Theymade me, uh . She is preceded in death by her husband Damacio Diaz. Atty. The detective tipped him off about a Drug Enforcement Administration wiretap that captured him chatting, advising him to lay low, according to documents. Vida en el Valle file Daniel Casarez. Damacio Diaz (R) and guest attend the Bakersfield Special Screening of "McFarland, USA" in Bakersfield, CA on Feb. 15th, 2015. And so, its just a fun place to be. Magallanes then told another drug dealer to dump his phone. No. Although, the brothers did say that the town hasnt really changed much, Coach White has noticed one big change. All of us went to college. Yeah, yeah, yeah. His wife and family, including a brother who works at McFarland high school, all supported him in court Friday afternoon. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. An elderly couple from Las Vegas were found dead earlier this month in Death Valley National Park, law enforcement officials said. CA. Uh, it was 1988 and I was a senior at that time and my brother, Damacio, was a junior. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. The multi-part documentary is coming to the streaming platform on February 3 and includes first-person interviews with individuals and families plagued by gun violence, officer-involved homicides and other crimes in Bakersfield and Kern County, California. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. [Asking Danny referring to the last race of the first year]. Defense attorneys compared the Bakersfield situation to the Los Angeles Police Departments Rampart scandal in the late 1990s, in which corrupt officers tainted cases. Damacio Diaz said he doesn't recognize the man he was three years ago when he was a detective working for Bakersfield police. The real Coach Jim White took both the boys and girls cross country teams to the California central coast beach at Cayucos during the 1985 season (not the 1987 season). No. Damacio Diaz was a Bakersfield police detective who was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2016 for stealing drugs to put back onto the street. The. If its not for the help of our cousins and our uncles and our friends and our church its really difficult during these times to raise a child. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. Here's what we know. JIM WHITE : Ive done it quite often. -LA Times. About $15,000 stuck out of Magallanes shorts. Now, local prosecutors say the scandal jeopardizes other criminal cases. A couple weeks later, the Bakersfield Police Department put him on leave after a federal investigation started to reveal an alleged connection to a major meth dealer. Learn more about the McFarland, USA true story by watching the Jim White interview below. A 1997 LA Times article described it as a rickety, worn bicycle, but did not state that it was a girl's bicycle like in the movie. Thank you for reading! champions. Under it you read three words:Tradition, Unity, and Excellence. However, it happened a little differently than in the movie. I used to take Damacio and some of hispeers. pic.twitter.com/qKxl7i5dfn. They still believe in him, and so does his attorney, David A. Torres, who said, "He is and was a hero, in my opinion, and he is the same Damacio Diaz he is.". Diaz was a member of the team that won the state championship. var _ndnq = _ndnq || []; _ndnq.push([embed]); Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Map: Track this weekends rain in the Bay Area, McFarland USA runner gets prison for corruption as police detective. View Public Details & Court Records. We would like your email. DAMACIO DIAZ : Yeah, we just run, Danny and I, just to stay in shape. Talbert said that we concluded no officers were complicit in joining Diaz and Mara, and that no further prosecutions were planned at this time. DANNY DIAZ : We didnt train. They spoke often of God and their church, as well as the work they do there. . Damacio stated that they were very proud of the way the movie portrayed their story their family. Two years later, we signed with another one, not quite that often, but it took a long process. When the informant left, the narcotics detective found just under $1,000 in the passenger-side door pocket. Disgraced former Bakersfield Police Department detective Damacio Diaz, one of the real-life heroes of the movie "McFarland USA," was sentenced Monday in U . These I was able have an interview with Jim White and the Diaz brothers (David Diaz, Damacio Diaz and Danny Diaz) who are the real life inspirations behind the McFarland, USA film. When the informant left, the narcotics detective found just under $1,000 in the passenger-side door pocket. I understand he did a lot of good before this criminal activity. You can read our Kevin Costner Interview about his role as Jim White in the McFarland, USA movie. DANNY DIAZ : You know, growing up in McFarland we didnt have much. was like to have a movie made about his Damacio Diaz, 44, was sentenced Monday for bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and making and subscribing a false income tax return,. But this is gonna be a family movie, so it is okay. But Mr. White was our second father. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That was the only thing really that they had thats available to show that type of work [for the movie]. Eliu Garza, also a McFarland High runner, is . The. Its hard to understand how he could do both.. In a remarkable statement made before reporters Friday, Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green said her office will mail out 64 letters to d, Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 310,095, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 305,002, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:71, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.13, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. And we were part of the Royal Rangers andwe did that on Tuesday nights at our local church. He had to take off to Stockton to, to be with his family with a family situation and he left us there to, to train on our own. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Delaney shakes hands with former Bakersfield Police Department detective Damacio Diaz in this file photo from Diaz's Oct. 3 sentencing. Whether it be Burglary, Financial Crimes Detail, Homicide, Narcotics Investigations, Sexual Assault, Special Enforcement (Gang), or Vice, he worked in every department at one point or the other. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. In 2016 Diaz was sentenced for crimes including federal. School. Did you ever do that again? She was amazing in the movie. It was a huge fall from grace for Diaz, who was well known in the Central Valley as being a member of the high school cross-country running team portrayed in the 2015 Disney movie McFarland, USA.. But, yes, I did that. We don't know that anyone was physically injured as a result of it, fortunately. JIM WHITE : From my aspect, I guess it was in various stages, because this was about a 15-year process for my wife and I. His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. Diaz's wife Courtney painted a picture him as a strong Christian and dedicated family man who in her words 'became a lost soul alone in the dark' while undercover. You know we are a God-fearing folks, so we were teaching in Sunday school on Sundays. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. Diaz pleaded guilty to stealing. FRESNO, Calif. Damacio Diaz, 44, of McFarland, formerly a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department, pleaded guilty today to bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and making and subscribing a false income tax return, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Jim White and the Diaz Brothers with our Group for McFarland, USA. ONeill instructed Delaney to directly telephone the warden of the prison assigned to receive Diaz in order to help ensure the safety of the former cop who will soon find himself behind bars. Both had their sentences reduced. He did submit every kind of narcotics to evidence following each bust. By Laura Donaldson On 2/3/23 at 8:00 AM EST This was an all expense paid trip provided by Disney. FRESNO, Calif. Damacio Diaz, 44, of McFarland, formerly a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department, was sentenced today to five years in prison for bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and making and subscribing a false income tax return, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. to know what it feels like to be What about the children? Diaz was a local celebrity at the time. Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick is an executive producer on new Hulu documentary "Killing County," which explores the story of Damacio Diaz. Damacio Diaz, photo courtesy of Mama Latina Tips. Damacio stated that they were very proud of the way the movie portrayed their story their family. DANNY DIAZ : Once you give them your story, obviously you sign with them. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). DANNY DIAZ : Yeah, if you drive600 miles out . There is no shame in admitting that this case has kept me awake at night, and few do, ONeill said to the packed courtroom. The U.S. Attorneys Office had recommended a sentence of between roughly 17 and 22 years, but the judge had discretion. Damacio Diaz, 43, of McFarland, a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department was arrested today, charged with abusing his position of trust as a police detective when he conspired with and . school and decides to put together a cross Former detective Patrick Mara was also implicated in the same crime. I had never been the top five, and as you know the top five are the ones that score. DAVID DIAZ : So, just to go back and let you know how my mother was depicted in previous scripts [LAUGHS] was probably a more accurate [CHUCKLES] version. Coach White concurred and said their mom even asked why they didnt make her strict enough. Source: YouTube/KGET Article continues below advertisement Silvia died on October 27, Herlinda on October 28. Coach White concurred and said their mom even asked why they didn't make her strict enough. Two misdemeanor prostitution cases in which Diaz as an undercover detective was the only witness have already been dismissed. (I am in the red in the back betweenDamacio and Danny). You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The movie is based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team, that Diaz was a member of, from a mainly Latino high school in McFarland, California, that won a state championship. Central Valley. He will then be subject to three years of supervised release. Where are BPD Officers Aaron Stringer and Rick Wimbish Now. Low 44F. "Niki Caro wanted to show more family in the movie so they chose me," says the real David Diaz, who actually graduated during the school year before the first state title win. The hearing included impassioned appeals by Diazs brother, wife and daughter, with the two latter witnesses in tears through much of their statements. DAVID DIAZ : And just to let you know, um, Gods good and we own almonds now. The Bakersfield Californian says (http://bit.ly/2dGESLb) the U.S. Attorneys Office recommended between 17 and 22 years. DAMACIO DIAZ : Yeah, were very, very proud of the way the movie portrayed us, our family. So, thats a big change. The former BPD official apparently knew what he was doing wasnt right in any way, shape, or form, yet he couldnt find a way out as there was no one he could approach for help, as per the docuseries. Both are about to begin five-year federal prison sentences for their crimes. DAVID DIAZ : Uh, we donttrain. And, uh, low and behold, Mr. White, during Thanksgiving break, uh, when we have no school, he had an emergency. it was in various stages, because this was about a 15-year process for us, my wife and I . September 22, 2016, 12:07 PM. Davids the oldest and he was a bully. But federal agents arrested him at work today. It does take a village [CHUCKLES] to raise, a child. February 3, 2023, 11:49 PM Part of the docu-series focuses on former Bakersfield Police Officers Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara. That the judge would even mention such a possibility underscored the unusual nature of the hearing. David is represented in the McFarland, USA movie along with two of his brothers, Damacio and Danny. Former narcotics detective Damacio Diaz has accepted a plea deal in connection with federal charges that could send him to prison for life. This one looks awesome, can't wait to see it. In Boise, Idaho, 1987, Jim White and his title of coach is signifying his status as a . In 2018, another man, Noel Carter, from Bakersfield, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Diaz and Mara to distribute drugs, according to federal prosecutors. Our father never could ever go watch us race. Although, David did add that his mom is actually much more strict than she is made to bein the movie. They threw it out. His partner, Patrick Mara, admitted to selling methamphetamine. And believe it or not, before he was a coach, hes a scientist. on their time as cross country runners Former detective Patrick Mara was also. As he walked a Hollywood red carpet in February and talked to Action News anchor Graciela Moreno about McFarland USA, little did Diaz know his life was ready to unravel. Then they can do whatever they want. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. But I also understand clearly that while he did not sell his soul, he certainly rented it out.. Diaz this summer pleaded guilty to bribery, drug trafficking and tax evasion, and Mara admitted to selling methamphetamine. Diaz and his brother Danny were on the championship team; a third brother, David, had graduated by then but was included in the movie version. DAMACIO DIAZ, by and through his counsel, DAVID A. TORRES, hereby submits Damacio Diaz' Statement in Mitigation for the court's consideration. How did that impact your lives during high school to move on in the future? The Feds arrested him at the. Now college is very encouraged, but back in the dayI wouldnt say that a fifth of the folks in high school ended up [finishing], especially folks of our color and our culture. McFarland, USA: Directed by Niki Caro. Yet this fraud used his position for gain and greed. McFarland USA, released in 2015and starring Kevin Costner, is based on the McFarland High School cross-country team that won the California championship in 1987. But I still do that and I coach. It was such a great experience. "People discovered who I was, what my background was, and I was assaulted by numerous inmates," Diaz told 17 News. We started picking and hoeing and raking and doing everything you could possibly think of. The community of McFarlandis important to them. He says that Public corruption takes a heavy toll on our communities, and our office remains committed to prosecuting such conduct.". Damacio Diaz was released Friday from a halfway house in. Mr. White was there as a person that we can rely on. The McFarland, USA true story supports that McFarland High School won nine CIF California State Championships in cross country (including five in a row) and held a streak of attending the state championship meet 24 years in a row. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. On October 3, 2016 Diaz was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and making and subscribing a false income tax return. interview. Theyre looking out for my kids and were trying to police each other, because its very easy to get distracted and go way off course. In a tweet promoting the documentary, the star mentioned the high homicide and crime rates in Bakersfield, calling the series a "thriller set in Kevin McCarthy's district," in reference to House Speaker McCarthy, whose congressional district includes parts of Bakersfield. Then the following season, we were ranked number one for the entire season. When one of Diazs attorneys used the word indiscretion to describe Diazs misdeeds, ONeill interrupted.
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