Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Sending killers home

Sunday, July 16, 2000 | 10:10 a.m.

Almost four months have passed since I wrote about local law enforcement concerns over violent criminals running and hiding in Mexico. The sad part about this problem is they don't have to hide because Mexican authorities refuse to return them for prosecution.

This isn't a new problem -- my column went back eight years and related the killing of 16-year-old Maria Estella De Lamore, a Bonanza High School student. Her suspected killer, Guillermo Adrian Tena-Casillas, fled to Mexico and was found on a ranch in Chihuahua. To the best of our knowledge he's still there. A more recent criminal suspect is now happily attending college in Mexico City.

Last week Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro homicide identified Trinidad Ojeda-Carrasco, 20, as a murder suspect. Metro has been told that he's just one more suspected killer across the border.

An Internet article, written by Lisa Van Proyen of the Los Angeles Daily News, hit my desk this week and tells readers that "each year, about 50 people accused of violent crimes in Los Angeles flee to Mexico." The writer was quoting LAPD Detective Art Zorrilla, who heads up that department's Foreign Prosecution Unit. The special LAPD unit has had a little success in getting cooperation after expending several months and big bucks in pursuing a suspect. Zorrilla told the writer that since his unit was formed in 1985 they have had a 45 percent to 50 percent conviction or clearance rate. If the criminal dies it's considered a clearance.

There is hope that the newly elected president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, will use his pledge to help law enforcement extend into developing a process that will send people committing crimes in the U.S. back to the police where they are suspects. This deserves special attention because a large number of the victims are also Hispanics.

In the meantime, there is help promised in a bill authored by Rep. Dan Miller, R-Fla. When presenting HR3212, Miller referred to the killing of Deepa Agarwal in Orlando, Fla., in July 1999. The murder suspect, Kamlesh Agarwal, fled to India and was apprehended only two days ago. Deepa's sister, Sheela, stood beside Miller during the press conference.

Some of the cogent points in Miller's "International Extradition Enforcement Act" will probably draw some whining from State Department officials. Nevertheless, it's about time some muscle is put into meeting the problems being faced by local law enforcement agencies in our country:

An official process will be created through which victims and families can lobby to penalize a country which has refused to return fugitives.

Under this legislation, the Department of Justice will create a process through which state and local authorities can formally, publicly protest the handling of an extradition case by a foreign government. More than five protests against a certain nation within a two-year period would trigger sanctions. State and local authorities may also rest assured that their case will be made known to Congress through the annual reporting process.

The loss of aid, or perhaps even the mere threat of a vote in Congress over the issue of "extradition cooperation" may help further along any pending extradition requests.

Some of our extradition problems are the result of outdated or nonexistent extradition treaties, which the administration should negotiate or repair before criminals can use these loopholes to their advantage.

Nevada's representatives in Congress, Jim Gibbons and Shelley Berkley, should give Congressman Miller support for HR3212.