And these moments form the cinematic story of "McFarland, USA," just as much as the actual running does. Where are BPD Officers Aaron Stringer and Rick Wimbish Now. 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. It was such a great experience. In fact, he had moved 12 times before he turned 18 and wasn't sure he'd ever find a place to lay down roots. We don't know that anyone was physically injured as a result of it, fortunately. See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by . . His career as a detective was relatively uneventful until Jorge Ramirez, Jr. was shot by Bakersfield . Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high . Diaz and his brother Danny were on the championship team; a third brother, David, had graduated by then but was included in the movie version. The 44-year-old Damacio Diaz was a 17-year veteran of the department. Trivia. Public corruption takes a heavy toll on our communities, and our office remains committed to prosecuting such conduct.". What each of the guys were not prepared for was the amount of running duringthe filming. It actually helped him put up the championship banners that crowd the front of the school's gymnasium, just a few hundred yards from that one stoplight. Yosemite Valley fully reopens after forecasted flooding falls short, 19 people displaced after apartment fire in SE Fresno, American Airlines pilots vote to authorize strike. On October 3, 2016 Diaz was sentenced 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. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING is pretty much the most individual sport there is. 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. As a detective in Bakersfield, Calif., Damacio Diaz rose to national attention after the film McFarland, USA, was released in 2015. L.A. has a new answer, Epic snowpack upends rhythms of life for many species in Sierra Nevada range, Decades of failures leave L.A. County facing up to $3 billion in sex abuse claims. Damacio Diaz Wife. He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Diaz was one of the real-life members of the team. According to court documents, between April 2012 and February 2015, while employed as a police officer with the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD), Diaz handled a criminal informant who was involved in the large-scale sale and distribution of methamphetamine. People are now proud to say theyre from McFarland. Damacio Diaz, 44, was sentenced Monday for bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and making and subscribing a false income tax return, according to the U.S. attorneys office. 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 . The highest homicide rate The most crime. We love each other as brothers and we never lost that connection. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. As well as accepting illegal bribes, Diaz engaged in drug trafficking while with the BPD. Newsweek has everything you need to know about what happened to Bakersfield cop Damacio Diaz and why he is featured on Killing County. 95814, Telephone:(916) 554-2700 Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Conspiring - KTLA Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert said at the time of Diaz's sentencing: "Diaz had a life that afforded him many opportunities, including the opportunity to serve and protect his community as an officer of the law. What the longest game in MLB history says about baseball today, Which teams will reach the NBA conference finals? Three suspects in custody following fatal shooting in South L.A. Man who set five wildfires in San Diegos back-country gets 9 years in prison, Man serving life sentence for raping and killing San Bernardino 9-year-old charged with murder in second cold case. A week later, Diaz booked only one pound of methamphetamine from the car into evidence. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? The only thing that separates us is the color of our skin, so we should try to treat each other equally., For Johnny, he wants people to take away these four ideals when they walk out of the theater:motivation, dedication, inspiration, and anythings possible.. This means in April 2023, Damacio and Courtney will be celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary. The former narcotics officer is now known, however, for going to prison in 2016 for charges tied to drugs, bribery and tax fraud. Bakersfield Police Narcotics Detective Charged With Bribery, Drug 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. All of that, plus the number of takes to get a shot, added up to much more than an actual 5K for these guys. Reportedly born in March 1972, Damacio Diaz is 50 years old (as of Jan 2023). Diaz violated not only the trust of this organization but that of this community. 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. According to the plea agreement, Diaz also filed a joint income tax return for the calendar year 2012 that falsely reported total income of $168,485 and did not include additional income of at least $97,900. Damacio Diaz, one of the three "running Diaz" brothers who helped build the McFarland . According to court documents, between April 2012 and February 2015, while employed as a police officer with the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD), Diaz handled a criminal informant who was involved in the large-scale sale and distribution of methamphetamine. Family of elite distance runners portrayed in "McFarland, USA - ESPN McFarland | You can't have my job, but I'll tell you a story She was the one who drove them to the fields at 5 a.m., where they picked fruit right up until the school bell rang, and then again in the afternoons after school. Diaz and Mara maintained possession of the remaining nine pounds of methamphetamine, and they ultimately sold it for their own personal gain. In professional sports, team chemistry is massively valuable and nearly impossible to intentionally construct. More to explore. IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorneys Office to investigate these types of crimes that have a negative impact on our communities and the American Taxpayer., Diaz's illegal activity caused irreparable damage to his reputation, put the lives of others at risk, undermined public trust in the Bakersfield Police Department, and facilitated criminal activity, said Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller of the FBI Sacramento field office. And despite never having had a relative make it past the ninth grade, all seven Diaz runners went to college. Mejia was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2021 in local reporting for her investigation with colleague Jack Dolan that exposed failures in Los Angeles Countys safety-net healthcare system. The highest homicide rate The most crime. THE Danny Diaz in McFarland, USA. 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. Where Are Damacio Diaz And Patrick Mara Now? They've Been Featured In Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Actor 59 Credits. In addition to Ramiro,Sergio Avelar (Victor Puentes) is also an actual runner and member of the McFarland Track Club. The FBI and its federal law enforcement partners will continue to identify and investigate individuals who violate their oath of service and ignore the commitment they made to their communities.. For the Diazes, that often was their literal brother. Damacio Diaz Bio, Today, Age, Wife, Hulu's Killing County pic.twitter.com/qKxl7i5dfn. The sentence given to Damacio Diaz on Monday was more lenient than prosecutors had urged for the 17-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department. According toABC 23, Ramirez was shot at a parking lot near a hotel while working as an off-the-books police informant for the Bakersfield Police Department, attempting to gain information on felon Justin Harger. 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.". Damacio Diaz, whose story was told in a Disney movie about a high school cross-country team, admitted to accepting bribes and drug offenses, federal prosecutors said. Yvonne Gaide was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $472,717 in restitution for wire fraud in relation to a scheme to divert Sacramento Main Office McFarland, USA (2015) - The A.V. Club If you've played any sport at any level, then you've probably sacrificed to a certain extent -- running suicides in basketball, Oklahoma drills in football. The married couple exchanged their wedding vows in April 2006. ", 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. They still hang out and text each other. For a general manager, isolating this trait is the white whale. Greed was a major motivation for Diaz to begin making unfortunate decisions that brought him to conspire with drug dealers and accept bribes for money. 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. We appreciate the support we have been given throughout this investigation and wish to thank the community for their patience and understanding., DEA Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin stated, Damacio Diaz committed crimes in a community he took an oath to serve and protect. 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. Family Life Assistant United States Attorneys Brian K. Delaney and Angela Scott prosecuted the case. After serving his sentence, Mara was sent to a halfway house in Long Beach before ultimately being released in April 2020. 'McFarland USA' actor Johnny Ortiz accused of attempted murder 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? I am excited to share with you another great interview from my McFarland, USA press trip. .
