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The U.S. Attorneys Office had recommended a sentence of between roughly 17 and 22 years, but the judge had discretion. But, yes, I did that. 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). The former police officer was subsequently sentenced to five years in federal prison, just to be released days early from a halfway house in Sacramento, California, on May 8, 2020. Diaz then began cooperating with federal investigators and named other cops he said were corrupt. We, we basically told our story, got interviewed for hours and hour and hours, and that was pretty much it. Newsweek has everything you need to know about what happened to Bakersfield cop Damacio Diaz and why. Damacio Diaz, 43, was arrested on November 20, 2015 and charged with abusing his position of trust as a police detective when he conspired with and assisted a narcotics dealer in the operation of the dealer's drug organization. -KGET 17. 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. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Two misdemeanor prostitution cases in which Diaz as an undercover detective was the only witness have already been dismissed. Mara was released from a halfway house a month before Diaz, in April 2020, after serving just under four years in federal prison. No foul language or nudity - just fresh air. What about the children? Local photojournalist John Harte, who followed the team at the time, says that he witnessed opposing teams offer genuine handshakes of good luck. Damacio Diaz was sitting in his car alongside informant Guillermo "Memo" Magallanes. So, with myself, they [CHUCKLES] made me chubby in the movie. Both are about to begin five-year federal prison sentences for their crimes. DANNY DIAZ : You know, growing up in McFarland we didnt have much. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Damacio Diaz was sitting in his car alongside informant Guillermo Memo Magallanes. Now, local prosecutors say the scandal jeopardizes other criminal cases. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. ", Colin Kaepernick pictured at the NBA game between the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena on December 5, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. [CHUCKLES] And, and we didnt train and we got fifth that year. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Diazs loyalty to Magallanes would be his downfall. [CHUCKLES] And about two years ago, Mr. White, you help me pull? The most police executions. 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. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. Not exactly. We have also done internal investigations on many allegations that were made and once again they have been unable to uncover anything. There are no shopping malls or large grocery stores. went on to college. Unlike most defendants sentenced to prison for drug trafficking and other serious crimes, Diaz, dressed in a dark suit, walked out of the courthouse Monday afternoon unshackled, temporarily a free man. DAMACIO DIAZ : Go ahead and call it. -LA Times. And believe it or not, before he was a coach, hes a scientist. So, for us it was normal. experience coaching the team. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. Damacio Diaz was released Friday from a halfway house in Sacramento, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Mara, a 13-year veteran, had 55 cases involving 70 defendants. If it were ethical, I would pay to have you go to UCLA, he said, noting that it clearly was not. [LAUGHS]. Now we are a runner running through the field, a figure silhouette of a runner. Write by: In a highly charged hearing packed with family members and supporters of the former cop, U.S. District Judge Lawrence ONeill indicated during the nearly two-hour hearing that the case was among the most difficult and emotional hes encountered in all his years on the bench. His wife and family, including a brother who works at McFarland high school, all supported him in court Friday afternoon. Where are Damacio and Patrick now? In other words, he joined the Tulare Police Department as a low-level officer in August 1996 just to work hard and be able to move on to Bakersfield as a detective precisely two years later. We started picking and hoeing and raking and doing everything you could possibly think of. (I am in the red in the back betweenDamacio and Danny). I was just running to, to displace other runners and add them more points. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. Raul was also a runner on the team when his sister was killed. interview. My dad has 13 brothers and sisters. 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. And, wow, those hills are its not rolling hills. director of photography Film Editing by David Coulson Casting By Sheila Jaffe Production Design by Richard Hoover Clovis PD investigating woman's death, asking public to avoid area. CA. And so, its just a fun place to be. This behavior became common, prosecutors said. Diaz became well-known after being portrayed in the 2015 Disney movie, McFarland USA, starring Kevin Costner, about the transformation of a running team in McFarland. Former detective Patrick Mara was also. All opinions expressed are my own. No. DAVID DIAZ : He was a very inspirational part. JIM WHITE : Thomas. These were the guys running in the California heat and winning state titles. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. Its a poor community. . The relationship between the brothers and Coach White is endearing. They were sooo funny to chat with. And so, we have kids that are in high school and some that are in elementary school. [CHUCKLES] Same thing happened back in the day when we were kids. The ramifications of the corruption scandal could be large. Greens office reviewed 87 cases of the detectives involving 123 defendants before deciding to send the letters. That decision also rocked the Kern County criminal justice system, marking the beginning of an ugly police corruption scandal involving cash, drugs and protection. . Our third man, Jose, he just-. After the interview we were able to get a picture with them. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. teacher. It is a day I truly regret and a decision that has changed my entire life.. Damacio Diaz (R) and guest attend the Bakersfield Special Screening of "McFarland, USA" in Bakersfield, CA on Feb. 15th, 2015. -KGET 17, Yes. That is why it was so amazing and cool that I got to interview Jim White, David Diaz, Damacio Diaz, and Danny Diaz. Newsweek has everything you need to know about what happened to Bakersfield cop Damacio Diaz and why he is featured on Killing County. 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They also plan to seize about $50,000 in cash and a home in an exclusive McFarland neighborhood. They appeared happy to be with us, and they enjoyed sharing their behind the scenes stories about the . You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 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. How often do you guys still train together with the new students? Sports in high school can make or break a young man. So we have a lot of uncles and everybody has a lot of kids. But Mr. White was our second father. [CHUCKLES] When we were growing up, maybe seven, eight, nine, ten thousand people is the population. They are portrayed to be 15 and 10, a few years younger than they actually were at the time of the first state title in 1987 (the girls were in college at the time). May God BLESS you all richly. Diaz initially became well-known after the release of 2015 Disney movie, McFarland USA, starring Kevin Costner. I feel safe knowing he is in my corner.. Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. As stated above, the real Jim White started teaching in the McFarland School District straight out of college in 1964. Along with fellow BPD Detective Patrick Mara, 40, the two were sentenced to five years in federal prison. Silvia was 16 and Herlinda was 14. Mr. Diaz, their dad Paul, he pushed education real hard, too. We [LAUGHS], we played basket. Yes. Former narcotics detective Damacio Diaz has accepted a plea deal in connection with federal charges that could send him to prison for life. The student thus enrolled at California State University-Fresno while changing his major to Criminology as well as Military Science (1992-1996) before deciding to acquire training on the job. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. Oh, its more than an indiscretion, he said. Leopoldo's father abandoned his wife and children. I am excited to share with you another great interview from my McFarland, USA press trip. Damacio Diaz features in new Hulu documentary "Killing County. Diazs attorney, David Torres, was clearly relieved by the judges decision. Theres nothing to do in McFarland. To read the article in Spanish, click here, Insider is sentenced to prison in scam that nearly took down L.A.s last black bank, Man accused of threatening to kill people at Islamic center because of hatred for Muslims, Man is charged with attempted murder after break-in at Miranda Kerrs Malibu home. DAMACIO DIAZ : They said youre fat. He says that Learn how your comment data is processed. Damacio Diaz, 43, of McFarland, California, a detective with the Bakersfield, California, Police Department (BPD), was arrested today, charged with abusing his position of trust as a police detective when he conspired with and assisted a narcotics dealer in the operation of the dealer's drug organization, announced U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner of the Eastern District of California . The corruption scandal broke in November 2015 when federal agents arrested Bakersfield Police Detective Damacio Diaz for helping traffic methamphetamines. They talk about being He literally would buy us shoes, feed us, counsel us, console us when we lost, that kinda stuff. They are amazing guys who still have that humble hardworking attitude! I still currently run. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. On that day, Leopoldo became a man. picking in the fields. 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.". They are a faith-filled family. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. pic.twitter.com/qKxl7i5dfn. Tom Sizemore dead at 61 after suffering brain aneurysm, Crews helping residents stranded by snow in Mariposa County, Home catches fire in snow-covered neighborhood in North Fork. When the informant left, the narcotics detective found just under $1,000 in the passenger-side door pocket. "People discovered who I was, what my background was, and I was assaulted by numerous inmates," Diaz told 17 News. About $15,000 stuck out of Magallanes shorts. Coach White concurred and said their mom even asked why they didnt make her strict enough. 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. Damacio Diaz, 48, is scheduled for release on May 10 while Patrick Mara, 40, is expected to be free on April 20, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records. Then they can do whatever they want. DANNY DIAZ : And we played basketball the entire week. School. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. He also committed serious, reprehensible crimes. The disgraceful and criminal behavior of Diaz and Mara has gravely impacted the Bakersfield Police Department as well as our community as a whole, she said. Paul Fischer, 73, called the Inyo County . Damacio seemingly prefers to stay well away from the spotlight these days, but we do know the family man tied the knot with his long-term partner, teacher Courtney Diaz, on January 26, 2021. It was great meeting you on the trip - it was such fun! PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White We were about seven or eight years old when all that began. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Since we have a newborn we weren't able to see the pre-screening in theaters but I hope to see it as soon as it comes out on DVD. We maybe started school but hardly any of us finished. And when it was suggested Diaz could help rebuild the communitys trust in the police department if only he were allowed the freedom to do so, the judge pounced again, saying he didnt believe that trust damaged so severely by a person given such extraordinary powers could be fully restored. But I also understand clearly that while he did not sell his soul, he certainly rented it out.. Speaking of running, we asked the Diaz brothers if they still run. That the judge would even mention such a possibility underscored the unusual nature of the hearing. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. Their stories were told in a beautiful way and they are excited Disney picked their tale to tell. DANNY DIAZ : Once you give them your story, obviously you sign with them. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." A previous version of this article said the district attorneys office reviewed 108 cases involving the detectives. DAVID DIAZ : So, it helps you running wise and mentally wise, as well, because you have to endure that steepness, if you will. Sunny to partly cloudy. 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. Yet his desire to always be at the front and center of action soon reached such an extent that he started blurring the line between right and wrong, resulting in his arrest in November 2015. However, he did rebuild the boys and girls cross country programs from the ground up. She is preceded in death by her husband Damacio Diaz. But thats okay. Former Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz with his wife, Courtney, and their children leaving U.S. District Court in Fresno after his 2016 sentencing. McFarland, USA comes to theaters on Friday, February 20th. Lisa Green is sending letters to defendants in 64 potentially tainted criminal convictions after her office examined scores of convictions involving the work of the disgraced pair. In April 2019, Carter was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for conspiring with Diaz and Mara to sell the seized drugs. Mr. White had a lot more influence [on the script]. The Bakersfield Californian says (http://bit.ly/2dGESLb) the U.S. Attorneys Office recommended between 17 and 22 years. For my son, it pushed him to go to college and do well while he was in high school. We didnt have that close to us. Low 44F. Welcome to Killing County. Diaz, a former Bakersfield police detective, is interviewed on camera in Killing County. According to Torres, the federal system will keep Diaz behind bars for more than four years before he becomes eligible for release. If I could beat their third, fourth, fifth man, sixth man whatever, I would add more points to them. Yes. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Defendants could seek motions for a new trial or to withdraw pleas in some cases. How much or any input did you have to have on the filming, the making the movie? Jim White and the Diaz Brothers with our Group for McFarland, USA. Thanks! He pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges he. But, no, they made me chubby or overweight [CHUCKLES] and hecka hella slow [LAUGHS] when you watch the movie. Thats why we had the sixth and seventh runner on a team. Los Angeles, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; 1 arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls, Officials unprepared for epic mountain blizzard, leaving many trapped and desperate. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. A former Bakersfield Police detective, serving time in prison for his role in a drug ring, has been released. Damacio Diaz, former BPD detective who stole drugs and put them back on the street, released from custody 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. Federal authorities say 43-year-old Damacio Diaz took bribes from a narcotics dealer, and, in exchange, provided the names of police informants, gave details of law enforcement investigations, and tried to protect him from arrest. But I still do that and I coach. Included in the segment, titled Even some of us, after graduating college, like Danny, the day after he graduated from the university with the diploma, he was in the fields working, because that was, in our family, what was expecteduntil he got hired and got his job. It was at the Bakersfield Police Department that Damacio was able to rise the ranks in the way hed always desired going from patrol operations to serving at several high-profile units. Now that he's cooperating with authorities, he has allegedly implicated others in the department, including his former partner . FRESNO, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Former Bakersfield police detective Damacio Diaz was sentenced Monday in federal court to five years in prison. "It was damaging. We are no longer theHeartbeat of Agriculture. I understand he did a lot of good before this criminal activity. Select this result to view Damacio Diaz's phone number, address, and more. Damacio seemingly prefers to stay well away from the spotlight these days, but we do know the family man tied the knot with his long-term partner, teacher Courtney Diaz, on January 26, 2021. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. How did that impact your lives during high school to move on in the future? Damacio stated that they were very proud of the way the movie portrayed their story their family. Though according to Damacios own account in the Hulu production, his dreams and aspirations took a complete turn once he witnessed some adrenaline-pumping, actual police work first-hand. PE teacher in McFarland, an economically Read More: Where are BPD Officers Aaron Stringer and Rick Wimbish Now? on their time as cross country runners The community of McFarland still works as a village to raise their youth. February 3, 2023, 11:49 PM Part of the docu-series focuses on former Bakersfield Police Officers Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara. I didn't want to go home," says Thomas. And so, we were just happy that Disney stuck with that first year and were lucky to be in the movie. See Who's Searching for You. White sees the athletic Its grapes and its oranges and its almonds and its cotton and stuff in our area, but those werent available. Dozens of Coach Jim White's runners ended up going to college or into the armed forces. challenged town in California's farm-rich The Diaz brothers represent 3 of the 7 runners from the McFarland Cross Country team of 1987. That is definitely true. Known as @lacrimes on Twitter, during almost 30 years at The Times he also has been part of the breaking news staff that won Pulitzers in 1998, 2004 and 2016. Former Bakersfield Police officers Damacio Diaz, 48, and Patrick Mara, 40, have been released from federal custody, according to the Board of Prison's website. According to the National Park Service, citing law enforcement officials, the husband and wife were discovered on Jan. 13. With Kevin Costner, Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect Mara said that when he partnered up with Diaz in spring 2012, Diaz walked out of a bedroom and handed him a few hundred dollars, while he stuck a large amount of money into his own pockets, according to court papers.