Pubdate: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX) Copyright: 2002 San Antonio Express-News Contact: http://www.mysanantonio.com/expressnews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/384 Author: Ihosvani Rodriguez ANOTHER SENTENCED IN CORRUPTION CASE A copy-machine repairman caught in San Antonio's largest police corruption case was given an 18-month sentence Thursday. Albert Mata, who pleaded guilty late last year to charges of aiding in the transportation of drugs, was one of two civilians collared in the FBI drug sting that netted 10 San Antonio police officers last year. Most were charged with similar charges of participating in a drug transaction that a " unknown to them a " was staged by the FBI. Court documents state that in 1998, an FBI informant paid Mata $1,000 to fetch from an airport locker a duffel bag containing 13 pounds of what he believed was cocaine. In pleading for a short sentence on Thursday, Mata's attorney Jerry Rivera pointed to his client's clean record and the fact that the incident at the airport was his only role in the three-year undercover investigation. After issuing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Ed Prado recommended that Mata be enrolled in a boot camp program instead of serving time in prison. Mata was allowed to leave the courthouse on bond until prison officials decide where to place him. Of the original 12 defendants, 10 entered guilty pleas and one was found guilty at trial. Another, former sheriff's deputy Richard Rowlett "Bucky" Buchanan, entered into an agreement known as pretrial diversion, meaning his theft charge will be dropped if he successfully completes a year under federal supervision. Three of the defendants, Conrad Fragozo Jr., Lawrence Bustos and David Anthony Morales, still are awaiting sentencing. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth