Disgraced Bakersfield Police Detective Sentenced To Five Years Atty. These were the guys running in the California heat and winning state titles. All seven Diaz children ran for Jim White and all seven went on to . Two years later, we signed with another one, not quite that often, but it took a long process. -LCU.edu, Yes. Diaz, who has been allowed to remain free throughout the process, cooperated fully with investigators, according to the prosecution. His viewpoint of not changing too much from that aspect I see a definite change. Girl, 13, Went Missing Last Week, and Suspect Is Arrested on . potential at the predominantly Latino high Diaz said that his time as a narcotics detective drove him to a life of drinking and that Magallanes, a drug dealer and a prominent member of the Mexican Mafia, became more friend than informant. DAMACIO DIAZ : For us, I believe sports, in general, we were already tough kids and we were used to working hard and theyre seven of us in our family. "McFarland's Family of Champions," are Sports in high school can make or break a young man. A lot of us competed in college. If you havent seen a trailer yet, here you go, Follow McFARLAND, USA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcfarlandusa, Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures. Plus, David still runs competitively and coaches. It reviewed 87 cases. . 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. He did a lot of things for us that our dad couldnt, becauseit financially just wasnt available. The most police executions. These guys are amazing and it was a pleasure meeting them and listening to them. It reviewed 87 cases. to know what it feels like to be 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. Real-Life Diaz Brothers Discuss Growing Up in McFarland, USA Damacio Diaz was sitting in his car alongside informant Guillermo "Memo" Magallanes. What Happened to Damacio Diaz? 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Join Facebook to connect with Damacio Diaz and others you may know. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Damacio Diaz found himself on the other side of the law when he was convicted and sentenced for his role in selling drugs stolen from a Bakersfield Police Department evidence room. Yet this fraud used his position for gain and greed. Eliu Garza, also a McFarland High runner, is . All the notoriety that theyre getting and what this man over here, Mr. White, our coach, has brought to not just our program but to our community. No. In 2016, Diaz, 48, was sentenced for "federal programs bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and making and subscribing a false income tax return." Kevin Costner and others picking in the fields in McFarland, USA. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. It was such a great experience. 'Killing County' features former BPD officers But the guys over here were in decent shape still. In 2016 Diaz was sentenced for crimes including federal. Danny and Damacio run 3 to 5 miles a day to simply stay in shape. Its hard to understand how he could do both.. 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. 17 Damacio Diaz Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 17 Damacio Diaz Premium High Res Photos Browse 17 damacio diaz stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. Low 44F. May God BLESS you all richly. 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 assisted a narcotics dealer in the operation of the dea . His life story had been portrayed in the Disney movie "McFarland, USA". But U.S. Atty. Michael Aguero as Damacio Diaz Rafael Martinez as David Diaz Ramiro Rodriguez as Danny Diaz Diana-Maria Riva as Seora Diaz Vanessa Martnez as Maria Marsol Martha Higareda as Lupe Valente Rodriguez as Principal Camillo Chris Ellis as Coach Jenks Eloy Casados as Dale Padilla Natalia Cordova-Buckley as Seora Valles Production [ edit] With Kevin Costner, Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz. 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. Included in the segment, titled This was an all expense paid trip provided by Disney. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - - Damacio Diaz, 43, of McFarland, a detective with the Bakersfield Police (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 United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner, FBI Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller . Interview with Big Hero 6 Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams, Behind the scenes of Big Hero 6 Bonus Content with FEAST Director Patrick Osborne. About $15,000 stuck out of Magallanes'. Former detective Patrick Mara was also. He also was indicted on charges of disclosing wiretap information to a criminal partner, interfering with a criminal investigation, and other felonies, but those charges were dismissed in the plea agreement. Diazs attorney, David Torres, was clearly relieved by the judges decision. Mara, a 13-year veteran, had 55 cases involving 70 defendants. How did that impact your lives during high school to move on in the future? After the interview we were able to get a picture with them. DAVID DIAZ : Uh, we donttrain. We would like your email. Since then, from what we can tell, the 50-year-old has chosen to retire and lead a comfortable yet quiet life in his home county of Kern; he hasnt moved anywhere. Thats a long time in jail for someone who once wore a badge.. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. Greens office reviewed 87 cases of the detectives involving 123 defendants before deciding to send the letters. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. 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. He must report to federal authorities before 2 p.m. Dec. 5 to begin serving his sentence. Ray referred to Felicia Rosario as his "wife," though they were never married. DANNY DIAZ : That is true. They talk about being Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. My parents definitely pushed us to go that route and not thewide road most people go to is other than college. DAMACIO DIAZ : Our kids all compete. Damacio was actually indicted on 16 federal counts related to bribery, drug trafficking, and filing a false tax return on the grounds he resold a lot of the drugs he confiscated during his police work. [LAUGHS]. It gave you character. PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White True Crime news & latest pictures from Newsweek.com Thats why we had the sixth and seventh runner on a team. Along with fellow BPD Detective Patrick Mara, 40, the two were sentenced to five years in federal prison. He is portrayed by Kevin Costner. Defendant reserves the . Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. 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. It was back in 1987 when Damacio Diaz inadvertently became a local celebrity of sorts owing to the way he built McFarland High Schools winning cross-country dynasty alongside his two brothers. So that was my experience for the first time at state having the pressure. Four years ago on a sweltering afternoon, Bakersfield Police Det. Where is Damacio Diaz Now? 'Killing County' on Hulu Explores His Story You know we are a God-fearing folks, so we were teaching in Sunday school on Sundays. McFarland, USA (2015) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Niki Caro Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by Antonio Pinto Cinematography by Adam Arkapaw . There is no shame in admitting that this case has kept me awake at night, and few do, ONeill said to the packed courtroom. Disney turned it into a. 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 . We dont have the big malls. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. The. 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. They threw it out. Diaz pleaded guilty last spring as part of a plea agreement that became public in May. So, that was a real good part of the movie though. 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. Uh, it was 1988 and I was a senior at that time and my brother, Damacio, was a junior. We were about seven or eight years old when all that began. 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. However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. Delaney was the prosecutor in the case. Did that change how you ran in future races? Hes a pretty good coach, too. The film is based on a true story, about how American cross country coach James "Jim" White coached the team of Hispanic kids at McFarland High School, from nobodies to mysteries to the racing community. Damacio Diaz. Damacio Diaz (R) and guest attend the Bakersfield Special Screening of "McFarland, USA" in Bakersfield, CA on Feb. 15th, 2015. Facebook gives people the power to. In an extraordinary statement, Judge ONeill spoke directly to Diazs daughter, Caroline. Still, it was rarely the entire quantity as he, his partner Patrick Mara, as well as an associate, reportedly had this combined side hustle. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I still race competitively even though youre not as good as you once were. [LAUGHS] So, just to let yall know were proud of what Hollywood did and what Niki and the producer and everyone did, but we lived in a very, very strict environment and still do to this day. it all made sense. This one looks awesome, can't wait to see it. Its grown a little bit in the last two, three years but not much has changed. Kevin Costner (Coach Jim White) and Diana Maria Riva (Seora Diaz) in McFarland, USA. Their city logo and motto have both been refreshed to express the new outlook of their community. We have also done internal investigations on many allegations that were made and once again they have been unable to uncover anything. 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. Acting U.S. Atty. See Who's Searching for You. So, with myself, they [CHUCKLES] made me chubby in the movie. DANNY DIAZ : Once you give them your story, obviously you sign with them. 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. 'McFarland USA' runner Damacio Diaz gets prison - The Mercury News Former Bakersfield Police Department Detective Sentenced to 5 Years in Former detective depicted in 'McFarland, USA' is sentenced to five DAMACIO DIAZ, by and through his counsel, DAVID A. TORRES, hereby submits Damacio Diaz' Statement in Mitigation for the court's consideration. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect BAKERSFIELD, Calif., (KBAK/KBFX) Damacio Diaz, a former Detective for the Bakersfield Police Department, has been released from federal custody. BPD detective arrested for drug trafficking But even prosecutor Brian Delaney of the U.S. Attorneys Office seemed satisfied with Diazs ultimate sentence, a dozen years fewer than the minimum he had recommended. [LAUGHS], JIM WHITE : Let, let me answer that, cause when Mrs. Diaz saw this film the first time, she came out and she said I love the film, but they didnt make me strict enough.. -LA Times. Diaz may be a free man later tonight, but he's facing life in prison for allegedly helping a meth dealer get drugs and stay undetected, all while he was supposed to be a narcotics detective. So, it was a big deal for us. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. In our case, you know, theres seven and my dad worked a lot of hours. That decision also rocked the Kern County criminal justice system, marking the beginning of an ugly police corruption scandal involving cash, drugs and protection. The assistant U.S. attorney used the word paradox to describe Diaz, one of seven siblings raised in the northern Kern County farming community of McFarland in a religious family, and one that seemed the epitome of the American dream. picking in the fields. They are a faith-filled family. And Johnny was with him. Damacio Diaz was sitting in his car alongside informant Guillermo Memo Magallanes. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. The 16-count indictment against the 17-year police veteran includes bribery and trafficking methamphetamine. RAW VIDEO: Former BPD detective Damacio Diaz reacts to 5-year - YouTube And so, we have a great dad. School. Damacio Diaz, photo courtesy of Mama Latina Tips. it was in various stages, because this was about a 15-year process for us, my wife and I . director of photography Film Editing by David Coulson Casting By Sheila Jaffe Production Design by Richard Hoover This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Danny Diaz | You can't have my job, but I'll tell you a story It taught you how to accept losing or winning. Davids the oldest and he was a bully. When I found out that it was Christian driven (truth !) He offers the kids a chance But in reality the script that was written, we prayed that it would never happen. Hi everyone! Meet Coach White and the Diaz Brothers Inspirations - Mama Latina Tips I cannot thank all of the people involved enough for bringing this story to us. Yes. Now we are a runner running through the field, a figure silhouette of a runner. His wife and family, including a brother who works at McFarland high school, all supported him in court Friday afternoon. If I could beat their third, fourth, fifth man, sixth man whatever, I would add more points to them. 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. 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. Matter of fact, he ordered us and he forced us and he made us play sports, because the way he saw it hes the first one, and so he learned it before us. These men were the real life inspirations for McFarland USA. Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel children ran for Jim White and all seven Go see it with your family! Damacio G Diaz, 50 - Bakersfield, CA - Has Court or Arrest Records No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). He literally would buy us shoes, feed us, counsel us, console us when we lost, that kinda stuff. The legendary former McFarland They talk about being inspired to strive for something beyond picking in the fields. Yes. They work in the school system and believe in. A true crime thriller we made set in Kevin McCarthys district. Officer Damacio Diaz - Ugly Judge This this file photo, former Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz and his wife, Courtney, and other family members and friends leave the U.S. District Court in Fresno after he was sentenced to five years in federal prison. JIM WHITE : Let, let me add one thing to that. And then Disney resigned us and got a better script writer. About $15,000 stuck out of Magallanes shorts. Diaz, a 17-year Bakersfield cop, worked on 32 cases involving 53 defendants, with 20 requiring letters, she said. What is going on here is really outrageous, said criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos. Former Bakersfield police officer pleads guilty to bribery and other and last updated 2016-10-03 21:34:05-04. Plus I love Kevin Costner! It was great meeting you on the trip - it was such fun! High 61F. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Additionally, Coach White would be there for counseling and fulfilling needs beyond what their parents could afford. [LAUGHS] We all, all of us are basketball players. In fact, a blink of an eye as you drive down Highway 99 in California and you will miss it. Silvia died on October 27, Herlinda on October 28. Their stories were told in a beautiful way and they are excited Disney picked their tale to tell. DANNY DIAZ : Im trying to be nice here. 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. Amongst those to feature in this three-part original is law enforcement official turned convicted felon Damacio Diaz so now, if you wish to learn more about him, weve got you covered. Speaking of running, we asked the Diaz brothers if they still run. But if it werent for sports our kids would be lost, because its either education and sports or the streets. "It was damaging. To make up for the time they couldn't work in the fields due to cross country practice, Jim White would sometimes give his time to them by helping them pick in the fields. MCFARLAND USA: An Interview with Legendary Coach Jim White Diaz initially became well-known after the release of 2015 Disney movie, McFarland USA, starring Kevin Costner. Select this result to view Damacio Diaz's phone number, address, and more. So, thatwas good. Mr. White was there as a person that we can rely on. "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. Wife of public defender who died at Mexico resort speaks out. Under the circumstances, theres absolutely no issue of dual justice here, he said. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) An ex-detective who was on the championship 1987 track team depicted in the movie McFarland USA has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and drug charges. And theres not much to do there. Disgraced former BPD detective Damacio Diaz released from federal McFarland, USA - Wikipedia Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Conspiring - KTLA Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Delaney, who prosecuted the case against former Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz, is shown here in this file photo following the Oct. 3 sentencingat U.S. District Court in Fresno. Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, No. Sentencing for Damacio Diaz continued to October - Yahoo! News Their actions risked their fellow officers safety for greed.. Right now our community is excited obviously with the movie and rightfully so. DAMACIO DIAZ : Mr. White might have more than us. The former NFL player is an executive producer on Hulu's "Killing County.". All of us went to college.