Watch Downfall: A KSAT Investigates special on the criminal case against ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela here.
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Fired Bexar County Precinct 2 captain distances himself further from Barrientes Vela in attempt to get reinstated
Read full article: Fired Bexar County Precinct 2 captain distances himself further from Barrientes Vela in attempt to get reinstatedMarc Garcia was indicted at the same time as ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela in early 2020, but their paths have taken vastly different courses since then.
Michelle Barrientes Vela’s sons arrested, accused of assaulting San Antonio police officers
Read full article: Michelle Barrientes Vela’s sons arrested, accused of assaulting San Antonio police officersThe three adult sons of convicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela were arrested Monday night, accused of assaulting San Antonio police officers who responded to a paramedic in trouble call at a northwest side auto dealership.
Barrientes Vela appeal moved back to Bexar County as court works through transcript issues
Read full article: Barrientes Vela appeal moved back to Bexar County as court works through transcript issuesEx-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela’s appeal of her felony convictions has been moved back to Bexar County temporarily while court reporters attempt to address issues with the written transcript of the case.
‘You’re a Ranger for God’s sake’: Judge affirms contempt of court ruling against Texas Ranger in Barrientes Vela case
Read full article: ‘You’re a Ranger for God’s sake’: Judge affirms contempt of court ruling against Texas Ranger in Barrientes Vela caseA Bexar County visiting judge on Monday affirmed a previous judge’s decision to hold a Texas Ranger in contempt of court for flubbing his testimony during Michelle Barrientes Vela’s public corruption trial last year.
Barrientes Vela asks judge for a new trial, citing flubbed testimony from Texas Ranger and coughing juror
Read full article: Barrientes Vela asks judge for a new trial, citing flubbed testimony from Texas Ranger and coughing jurorConvicted felon Michelle Barrientes Vela has asked a judge for a new trial, weeks after she was sentenced to five years probation and 90 days in jail in her tampering case.
Texas Ranger at center of Barrientes Vela case held in contempt of court
Read full article: Texas Ranger at center of Barrientes Vela case held in contempt of courtRanger Bradley Freeman, whose testimony was crucial in getting a jury this fall to convict Barrientes Vela on two felony counts of tampering with records, apologized to the court for mentioning a separate official oppression case while that jury was present.
Ex-captain planned to testify that Barrientes Vela directed him to pad criminal complaint
Read full article: Ex-captain planned to testify that Barrientes Vela directed him to pad criminal complaintFormer Bexar County Precinct 2 captain Marc D. Garcia was prepared to testify Tuesday that his former boss, ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, directed him to investigate her political opponent and include evidence not related to the possible criminal offense, court records obtained Wednesday by KSAT Investigates show.
Ex-Precinct 2 captain given immunity, allowed to leave court without testifying against Barrientes Vela
Read full article: Ex-Precinct 2 captain given immunity, allowed to leave court without testifying against Barrientes VelaIn what can best be described as a massive blow to the prosecution in the Michelle Barrientes Vela public corruption trial, ex-captain Marc D. Garcia was granted immunity by the state Tuesday morning only to have the judge overseeing the case exclude his testimony hours later.
Ex-Pct. 2 captain gets new attorney as Barrientes Vela’s sentencing is paused again
Read full article: Ex-Pct. 2 captain gets new attorney as Barrientes Vela’s sentencing is paused againThe sentencing of convicted felon Michelle Barrientes Vela was paused again Thursday, as her attorneys and prosecutors were granted time to finalize arguments over whether a key witness will be allowed to testify against her.
Day 6 of Michelle Barrientes Vela trial sentencing
Read full article: Day 6 of Michelle Barrientes Vela trial sentencingFormer Bexar County Precinct 2 Capt. Marc D. Garcia was ordered to appear before Judge Velia Meza when the sentencing hearing of resumes his former boss, Michelle Barrientes Vela at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Attorney for ex-Pct. 2 captain to withdraw after representing Barrientes Vela in civil suits
Read full article: Attorney for ex-Pct. 2 captain to withdraw after representing Barrientes Vela in civil suitsDespite being sworn in, former Bexar County Precinct 2 captain Marc D. Garcia left court Wednesday without taking the witness stand against his former boss, Michelle Barrientes Vela.
WATCH LIVE: Day 5 of Michelle Barrientes Vela trial sentencing
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Day 5 of Michelle Barrientes Vela trial sentencingFormer Bexar County Precinct 2 captain Marc D. Garcia appears to have turned state’s witness and is scheduled to testify against Michelle Barrientes Vela Wednesday during the sentencing phase of her public corruption trial.
Possible immunity deal for former captain overshadows day 4 of sentencing at Barrientes Vela trial
Read full article: Possible immunity deal for former captain overshadows day 4 of sentencing at Barrientes Vela trialFormer Bexar County Precinct 2 captain Marc D. Garcia appears to have turned state’s witness and is scheduled to testify against Michelle Barrientes Vela Wednesday during the sentencing phase of her public corruption trial.
Former Pct. 2 deputy finishes combative testimony as Barrientes Vela sentencing reaches third day
Read full article: Former Pct. 2 deputy finishes combative testimony as Barrientes Vela sentencing reaches third dayA former Precinct 2 deputy accused an attorney for Michelle Barrientes Vela of asking leading questions during day three of sentencing for the convicted ex-constable.
Sentencing resumes for felon ex-constable Barrientes Vela
Read full article: Sentencing resumes for felon ex-constable Barrientes VelaSentencing resumed Monday afternoon for disgraced ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, weeks after a Bexar County jury took less than four hours to convict her on two counts of felony tampering with records.
Acts of intimidation, blackballing of deputies described during Barrientes Vela sentencing
Read full article: Acts of intimidation, blackballing of deputies described during Barrientes Vela sentencingA corporal with the Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office testified Tuesday that she and other deputies witnessed then-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela interrogate a discount store manager after the manager accused the elected official’s son of shoplifting.
‘She was a cancer to her own office’: Former lieutenant tees off on Barrientes Vela as sentencing gets underway
Read full article: ‘She was a cancer to her own office’: Former lieutenant tees off on Barrientes Vela as sentencing gets underwaySentencing began Monday for Michelle Barrientes Vela, the former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable convicted earlier this month on two counts of felony tampering with records.
WATCH LIVE: Sentencing continues for convicted ex-constable Barrientes Vela
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Sentencing continues for convicted ex-constable Barrientes VelaSentencing continues Tuesday for Michelle Barrientes Vela less than two weeks after a jury convicted her on two felony charges of tampering with government records..
Jury finds Michelle Barrientes Vela guilty on 2 counts of tampering with records
Read full article: Jury finds Michelle Barrientes Vela guilty on 2 counts of tampering with recordsA Bexar County jury on Thursday found former Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela guilty on two felony counts of tampering with records.
Jury deliberating fate of Barrientes Vela in felony tampering case
Read full article: Jury deliberating fate of Barrientes Vela in felony tampering caseA Bexar County jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon in the felony tampering with records case against indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela.
State rests in case against Barrientes Vela, but not before fiery cross-examination of Texas Ranger
Read full article: State rests in case against Barrientes Vela, but not before fiery cross-examination of Texas RangerThe prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon in the public corruption trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela, capping off seven days of testimony that ranged from methodical to explosive and included a mistrial nearly being declared.
Disputed park records take center stage in Barrientes Vela public corruption trial
Read full article: Disputed park records take center stage in Barrientes Vela public corruption trialA Texas Ranger testified Tuesday that park security records handed over by Michelle Barrientes Vela in the summer of 2019 did not match records he had already obtained from a county whistleblower.
Testimony: Pct. 2 deputy worked security at Rodriguez Park, was never paid
Read full article: Testimony: Pct. 2 deputy worked security at Rodriguez Park, was never paidA deputy with the Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office testified Monday that he worked security at Rodriguez Park between eight and ten times while serving in a reserve capacity, and was not compensated.
Barrientes Vela’s clerk wore secret recording device, did not tape anything incriminating
Read full article: Barrientes Vela’s clerk wore secret recording device, did not tape anything incriminatingA former Bexar County Precinct 2 clerk who sought out the Texas Rangers to expose “wrongdoing” by Michelle Barrientes Vela testified Friday that she wore a secret recording device repeatedly in the summer of 2019 but did not tape the then-constable saying anything incriminating.
Barrientes Vela’s former clerk says constable was ‘rattled’ by 2019 visit from Texas Ranger
Read full article: Barrientes Vela’s former clerk says constable was ‘rattled’ by 2019 visit from Texas RangerA former Precinct 2 clerk who provided critical information to law enforcement about the inner workings of Michelle Barrientes Vela’s administration testified Thursday that the then-constable was left “rattled” after learning she was under criminal investigation in the summer of 2019.
Witness says Barrientes Vela and ‘her entourage’ intimidated him at county park
Read full article: Witness says Barrientes Vela and ‘her entourage’ intimidated him at county parkA San Antonio man who rented pavilions at Rodriguez Park for decades of special events testified Wednesday that former Bexar County Pct. 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and other uniformed deputies intimidated him and his family as they prepared to celebrate the Easter holiday in 2019.
Barrientes Vela trial opens with claim that prosecutor and investigator set trap for troubled constable
Read full article: Barrientes Vela trial opens with claim that prosecutor and investigator set trap for troubled constableAn attorney for indicted ex-Precinct 2 constable Michelle Barrientes Vela argued Tuesday that the prosecutor and lead investigator in the case teamed up to set a trap for his client and came away with nothing more than a few written records.
WATCH LIVE: Jury finds Michelle Barrientes Vela guilty on 2 counts of tampering with records
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Jury finds Michelle Barrientes Vela guilty on 2 counts of tampering with recordsThe highly anticipated public corruption trial of indicted Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela is being heard in a Bexar County courtroom.
Public corruption trial for Michelle Barrientes Vela slated for this week. Here’s what to know.
Read full article: Public corruption trial for Michelle Barrientes Vela slated for this week. Here’s what to know.The former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable, who stepped down in late 2019 after triggering the state’s resign-to-run law, faces two felony counts of tampering with evidence.
BCSO investigating threatening letters sent to Barrientes Vela ahead of public corruption trial
Read full article: BCSO investigating threatening letters sent to Barrientes Vela ahead of public corruption trialAn attorney for the former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable provided evidence to Judge Velia Meza on July 21, including multiple rounds of live ammunition as well as letters in which someone threatened to kill Barrientes Vela.
Dallas PD release report detailing altercation between Barrientes Vela, state house candidate
Read full article: Dallas PD release report detailing altercation between Barrientes Vela, state house candidateDallas police late Thursday released a 10-page report detailing an altercation outside a hotel earlier this month involving Michelle Barrientes Vela that led to the indicted ex-constable being barred from leaving Bexar County ahead of her public corruption trial next month.
Barrientes Vela barred from leaving Bexar County, attending political events after Dallas convention skirmish
Read full article: Barrientes Vela barred from leaving Bexar County, attending political events after Dallas convention skirmishMichelle Barrientes Vela is now prohibited from leaving Bexar County and attending political events after the judge overseeing her upcoming public corruption trial set special conditions of bond during a court hearing Thursday morning.
Barrientes Vela accused of accosting state political candidate and community advocate in Dallas
Read full article: Barrientes Vela accused of accosting state political candidate and community advocate in DallasThe lead up to the felony trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela took a bizarre turn Friday after she was accused of accosting a Texas House of Representatives candidate and a prominent community advocate who were in Dallas to attend the Texas Democratic Convention.
Barrientes Vela trial delayed to August after DA discovery issues emerge
Read full article: Barrientes Vela trial delayed to August after DA discovery issues emergeAttorneys for the one-time Bexar County Precinct 2 constable successfully argued during a 90-minute hearing before Judge Velia Meza decided that they did not have sufficient time to analyze hours of undercover audio recordings from the case.
Open Court: Michelle Barrientes Vela heading to trial, plus get to know new Children’s Court Judge Raul Perales
Read full article: Open Court: Michelle Barrientes Vela heading to trial, plus get to know new Children’s Court Judge Raul PeralesThis newsletter brings you the biggest stories in the criminal justice system in San Antonio, Bexar County and beyond
Barrientes Vela public corruption trial pushed to Jan. 2022
Read full article: Barrientes Vela public corruption trial pushed to Jan. 2022The trials of Barrientes Vela and her former captain, Marc D. Garcia, had been scheduled to begin Monday but were delayed again due to an ongoing trial in 226th District Court.
Judge denies motion to remove DA from Barrientes Vela public corruption case
Read full article: Judge denies motion to remove DA from Barrientes Vela public corruption caseA visiting judge has denied a motion to have the Bexar County district attorney disqualified from the public corruption case of Michelle Barrientes Vela, setting the state for the indicted ex-constable to finally go to trial nearly two years after she and a member of her administration were indicted.
DA argues to stay on Barrientes Vela case, calls basis of motion to remove him ‘pure fiction’
Read full article: DA argues to stay on Barrientes Vela case, calls basis of motion to remove him ‘pure fiction’Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales this week pushed back on an attempt to remove his office from prosecuting indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, claiming the defense’s motion to have him disqualified failed to provide evidence of any conflict of interest.
Michelle Barrientes Vela invoked Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during taped deposition
Read full article: Michelle Barrientes Vela invoked Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during taped depositionMonths before Bexar County officials settled multiple lawsuits filed against indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, she and her former captain repeatedly invoked their 5th Amendment privileges, taped depositions obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.
As Barrientes Vela’s public corruption trial looms, another person alleges shakedown at Rodriguez Park
Read full article: As Barrientes Vela’s public corruption trial looms, another person alleges shakedown at Rodriguez ParkThe picture of Charles Ybarra smiling while surrounded by loved ones should have represented the proud culmination of months of planning for a family reunion. Instead, its a reminder of one of the most stressful days of his life.
Attorneys for Barrientes Vela file motion to have DA Gonzales kicked off of case
Read full article: Attorneys for Barrientes Vela file motion to have DA Gonzales kicked off of caseThe upcoming public corruption trial of indicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela took another turn this week as her attorneys filed a formal motion to have District Attorney Joe Gonzales removed from the case.