SAN ANTONIO — Three people are suing Sheriff Javier Salazar and other members of the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, alleging they were falsely jailed in connection with a raid where drug evidence was planted by an informant contracted by BCSO.
“Imagine how this can absolutely destroy somebody's life,” Attorney Jason Jakob said.
John Cape, Louie Garcia and the estate of Rexina Linan-Juarez filed individual lawsuits stating their constitutional rights were violated.
The suits claim that in August of 2017, Garcia was working on installing a ramp in front of Linan-Juarez’s home.
The informant, Isaac Garza, approached the home and asked if his little girl could use the bathroom. The suit claims the informant took the little girl’s backpack and placed it behind a loose board in a bathroom wall.
Shortly after, deputies searched the home and found 2.2 pounds of meth inside. All three were arrested.
Cape and Garcia both took plea deals and served two years in prison.
The suit states in 2020, the District Attorney’s office started questioning the informant and found his information was unreliable.
“These cases made it all the way to the Court of Criminal Appeals, where they were exonerated,” Jakob said.
Jakob said Linan-Jaurez died before these revelations came to light. He said he took on these cases to hold the powerful, accountable.
“It has impact that will be with them and scar them for the rest of their life,” Jakob said.
BCSO provided this statement:
“Due to pending litigation we are not able to comment. All comments pertaining to this lawsuit will be referred to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.”