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. Probe Into Corrupt Cops in Kern County Deepens | KQED Soon Diaz and Mara were getting into other illegal activities, authorities said. During the investigation, five other officers were placed on administrative leave related to the investigation and one recently resigned. 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. 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. We maybe started school but hardly any of us finished. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. Two corrupt cops joined forces with drug dealers. Now, dozens of No. 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. He will then be subject to three years of supervised release. White retired in 2002 afterteaching in McFarland schools for 40 years and coaching for 25 years. Raul was also a runner on the team when his sister was killed. on their time as cross country runners Where are Damacio and Patrick now? 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. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The charges against Damacio Diaz have people in his hometown in disbelief. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. It was such a great experience. Second, he expressed sympathy regarding the educational quandary in which she finds herself. If they took statements, seized evidence or wrote reports, we will be sending letters to defense attorneys or defendants that represented themselves, she said. Davids the oldest and he was a bully. Their actions risked their fellow officers safety for greed.. My mom has 12. DAMACIO DIAZ, by and through his counsel, DAVID A. TORRES, hereby submits Damacio Diaz' Statement in Mitigation for the court's consideration. 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. I am excited to share with you another great interview from my McFarland, USA press trip. I had never been the top five, and as you know the top five are the ones that score. 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. Silvia died on October 27, Herlinda on October 28. They investigated every name that came up, uncovered every rock, and no one elses name came to light in their scandal, the chief said. You pick up any type of bug or any type of leaf, he knows what it is. Damacio Diaz pleaded guilty to bribery, drugtrafficking and tax evasion. He did a lot of things for us that our dad couldnt, becauseit financially just wasnt available. He offers the kids a chance (I am in the red in the back betweenDamacio and Danny). 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. See more stories in. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. A former Bakersfield Police detective, serving time in prison for his role in a drug ring, has been released. There is no shame in admitting that this case has kept me awake at night, and few do, ONeill said to the packed courtroom. But federal agents arrested him at work today. Diaz was not remanded into custody. When I found out that it was Christian driven (truth !) We run once in a whileamongst, DAVID DIAZ : ourselves. [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. I used to take Damacio and some of hispeers. Honestly, as we sat and talked with the Diaz brothers 3things were very apparent. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. Colin Kaepernick releases trailer for new true crime docuseries Bakersfield detective pleads guilty to bribery, drug possession: 'I got it all made sense. BPD detective Damacio Diaz, portrayed in McFarland USA movie arrested Eguenia was best described by many that A drug and corruption scandal has rocked the Bakersfield Police Department. Diaz was a local celebrity at the time. PE teacher in McFarland, an economically We run three, four, five miles a day just to stay in shape. 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DAMACIO DIAZ : They said youre fat. 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. Then the following season, we were ranked number one for the entire season. So, at that point I was running the sixth man and so I became fifth man and I was, for the first time in my life in the top five. JIM WHITE : Thomas. Mara was released from a halfway house a month before Diaz, in April 2020, after serving just under four years in federal prison. [LAUGHS] Theymade me, uh . Yes. Damacio Diaz Profiles | Facebook 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. He is portrayed by Kevin Costner. I've watched "McFarland" probably more than 200 times. So, thatwas good. JIM WHITE : Let, let me add one thing to that. "I can't say I was going to jump, but I was thinking about my life and why some people would jump. To you culture, um, is all about community and it takes a village to raise a child. I wanna know what your guyss first reaction was when you heard that not only was your story going to be a movie but specifically this movie and knowing what these true life, inspirational movies become? Then to keep him on the narrow road or that straight road is tough. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. DAMACIO DIAZ : Our kids all compete. When one of Diazs attorneys used the word indiscretion to describe Diazs misdeeds, ONeill interrupted. Yes. cross country coach talks about what it Diaz and his partner, Patrick Mara, later admitted to ripping off drug dealers of their methamphetamine during traffic stops. This one looks awesome, can't wait to see it. challenged town in California's farm-rich Their parents are also highly regarded by each of them and they obviously have a deep love for the family unit. Speaking of running, we asked the Diaz brothers if they still run. Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel Ray was arrested in February 2020 and in April 2022, following a four-week trial, he was convicted on several counts. DIAZEugenia Vasquez Diaz loving wife, mother, grandmother passed away on August 1, 2012 at the age of 94. So , DANNY DIAZ : Mr. White never went back to Stockton never again. In Boise, Idaho, 1987, Jim White and his title of coach is signifying his status as a . Mara was released from a halfway house in April after serving a little less than four years in federal prison. Coach White concurred and said their mom even asked why they didn't make her strict enough. 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. teacher. it's not all true but he's okay with that. 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. So I'd have two practices." Where Is Damacio Diaz Now? 'Killing County' Catches up With Him Five years is much better than 17, from their point of view, and while prison time will be an ordeal for the one-time cop, everyone knew they had won something at least resembling a victory. My parents definitely pushed us to go that route and not thewide road most people go to is other than college. White sees the athletic The Diaz brothers represent 3 of the 7 runners from the McFarland Cross Country team of 1987. Both men are currently in halfway houses, Diaz in the Sacramento area and Mara in the Long Beach area. Assistant U.S. Atty Brian Delaney said Magallanes was arrested in a separate case and told officials about Diaz. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. We [LAUGHS], we played basket. "He told me to take my wife out on a date or buy my kids something," Diaz would later. Uh, it was 1988 and I was a senior at that time and my brother, Damacio, was a junior. It taught you how to accept losing or winning. My dad has 13 brothers and sisters. Mr. Diaz, their dad Paul, he pushed education real hard, too. Kern County Dist. We signed with this one company. He will have about two months to think about what comes next. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Damacio Diaz sentenced | KBAK But even worse, they say he tipped off the drug dealer when police might be coming his way, even giving the guy information from a secret wiretap. 6:40 p.m. Oct. 25, 2016: A previous version of this article said the district attorneys office reviewed 108 cases involving the detectives. Damacio Diaz - CA Cross Country Bio - Athletic.net 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. The movie is based on the true story of a 1987 cross . And Johnny was with him. Not exactly. We dont have actually any [CHUCKLES] malls. 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. They went back to the original first year that we won state. DANNY DIAZ : Absolutely. 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. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. 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). They are a faith-filled family. In an extraordinary statement, Judge ONeill spoke directly to Diazs daughter, Caroline. They work in the school system and believe in. Mr. White had a lot more influence [on the script]. Damacio Diaz features in new Hulu documentary "Killing County. 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. But U.S. Atty. And we were running number one all year long. He must report to federal authorities before 2 p.m. Dec. 5 to begin serving his sentence. Their mom and dad worked hard and pushed the boys even harder to succeed and do well. We were raised in the field, it was our life. Timeline of Events - KGET 17 He also committed serious, reprehensible crimes. We all feel grateful and the whole communitys just embracing it. The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. 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. SPONSORED LINKS So that was my experience for the first time at state having the pressure. Diaz was a member of the team that won the state championship. This hearing is not about telling someone they are no good, ONeill said. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect 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. Jim White, David Diaz, Damacio Diaz and Danny Diaz for McFarland, USA. Hi everyone! 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. February 27, 2023 new bill passed in nj for inmates 2022 No Comments . Wife of public defender who died at Mexico resort speaks out. Diaz, a former Bakersfield police detective, is interviewed on camera in Killing County. We didnt have that close to us. The trio honestly had an unwavering determination in their efforts despite being mere teenagers at the time, and thats what eventually inspired the 2015 Disney sports drama film McFarland, USA. However, the former chose to pursue General Education as a field of study instead of focusing on his athleticism upon graduation because he apparently hoped to establish his career as a teacher. What Happened to Damacio Diaz? Bakersfield Cop Seen in 'Killing County' Leopoldo's father abandoned his wife and children. Diaz pleaded guilty to stealing. So, that was a real good part of the movie though. What is going on here is really outrageous, said criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos. "I think it goes to show that sometimes the portrayal of images, and good work that has happened in the past, sometimes comes to what we see today and that people aren't always what they seem," said Greg Williamson, Bakersfield police chief. Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick is an executive producer on new Hulu documentary "Killing County," which explores the story of Damacio Diaz. I feel safe knowing he is in my corner.. DANNY DIAZ : Im trying to be nice here. A full house of over three hundred gave a rousing standing ovation to Jim and his wife, Cheryl. MCFARLAND USA: An Interview with Legendary Coach Jim White In our case, you know, theres seven and my dad worked a lot of hours. inspired to strive for something beyond PUBLISHED: October 4, 2016 at 7:44 a.m. | UPDATED: October 4, 2016 at 7:53 a.m. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) An ex-detective who was on the championship 1987 track team depicted in the movie . Federal prosecutors in court sentencing documents said Mara had two patrol officers stop a vehicle the detectives knew was carrying 5 pounds of methamphetamine. They came from a large family where faith,educationand hard work were important. This is going to be a huge hit, I live about two hours from the area it's based on and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Bakersfield. The movie pushes up his arrival and coaching position at McFarland to 1987, the first year his cross country team attended and won the state championship (1987 was also the very first year that California had a state championship). After nearly three decades as a defense attorney, Torres said, he has seen people charged with trafficking in narcotics sentenced to much less prison time, and hes seen the reverse. We don't know that anyone was physically injured as a result of it, fortunately. Defendant reserves the . Still, it was rarely the entire quantity as he, his partner Patrick Mara, as well as an associate, reportedly had this combined side hustle. There are no shopping malls or large grocery stores. Vida en el Valle file Daniel Casarez. These I was able have aninterview 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. Each one of the brothers are land owners in McFarland. Mr. White had a lot more influence in how this script was written. View Public Details & Court Records. Damacio Diaz, photo courtesy of Mama Latina Tips. Source: YouTube/KGET Article continues below advertisement Hes a pretty good coach, too. 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. And so, we were just happy that Disney stuck with that first year and were lucky to be in the movie. Updated: May 11, 2020 / 06:23 PM PDT BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Disgraced former Bakersfield police detective Damacio Diaz has been released from custody after serving a federal term for stealing drugs during the course of his police work and putting them back on the street. Diaz did a lot of good things, Delaney said. The most police executions. Former detective Patrick Mara was also. Posted on Published: February 18, 2015- Last updated: August 7, 2022. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Kevin Costner and others picking in the fields in McFarland, USA. Diaz, a 17-year Bakersfield cop, worked on 32 cases involving 53 defendants, with 20 requiring letters, she said. "I was standing there. Mara, a 13-year veteran, had 55 cases involving 70 defendants. Silvia was 16 and Herlinda was 14. Thats because it comprises not only archival footage but also first-hand accounts of individuals closest to the matter to truly uncover this Californian citys merciless, violence-driven justice system. We were about seven or eight years old when all that began. Juanita Diaz. They appeared happy to be with us, and they enjoyed sharing their behind the scenes stories about the . Former Bakersfield police detective Damacio Diaz was sentenced Monday in federal court to five years in prison.He pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges. The. After the interview we were able to get a picture with them. They spoke often of God and their church, as well as the work they do there. The United States Attorney's Office said Diaz continued to operate the informant "even though he was fully aware of the informant's ongoing criminal activity and, during this time, Diaz received bribes from the informant in return for intelligence on law enforcement activities as well as protection from investigation and arrest.". 1972 March 9 - Damacio Diaz birth date 1973 April 17 - Noel Carter birth date 1980 March 16 - Noel Carter birth date 1982 July 15 - Derrick Penney birth date 1986 August 7 - Logan August birth date 1996 August - Damacio Diaz hired by the Tulare Police Department. [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.. Former detective depicted in 'McFarland, USA' is sentenced to five How much or any input did you have to have on the filming, the making the movie? Join Facebook to connect with Damacio Diaz and others you may know. Disgraced cop's 5-year sentence a fraction of prosection's People Search However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. [LAUGHS]. It reviewed 87 cases. interview. 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. They also plan to seize about $50,000 in cash and a home in an exclusive McFarland neighborhood. and preaching in the Church of Christ. But Mr. White was our second father. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. What about the children? director of photography Film Editing by David Coulson Casting By Sheila Jaffe Production Design by Richard Hoover Disney turned it into a. Where are BPD Officers Aaron Stringer and Rick Wimbish Now. DAMACIO DIAZ : The one that took off real fast, you know. . of 1 So we have a lot of uncles and everybody has a lot of kids. The best result we found for your search is Damacio Diaz age 50s in Bakersfield, CA. DAMACIO DIAZ : Go ahead and call it. A true crime thriller we made set in Kevin McCarthys district. McFarland Residents Shocked by Arrest of Bakersfield Cop Portrayed in DAMACIO DIAZ : Us training together, maam? According to Torres, the federal system will keep Diaz behind bars for more than four years before he becomes eligible for release. White and many other family members and friends were in court to support Diaz. Five years in jail for a law enforcement officer thats still a serious sentence. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 1998 July - Damacio Diaz hired by the Bakersfield Police Department. As you pull into McFarland, you will know notice a silhouette of a runner running through an open field. Youre driving on 99, the freeway, and you blink and youll miss it. The DOJ said Diaz and Mara deliberately failed to submit seized drugs as evidence and instead provided the stolen narcotics to Carter. Clovis PD investigating woman's death, asking public to avoid area. Some of these teams that came after us were way better than us, way better than me as far as the running. 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 . It taught you discipline.