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. "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. As a detective in Bakersfield, Calif., Damacio Diaz rose to national attention after the filmMcFarland, USA, was released in 2015. TheCalifornia Department of Justicenotes that Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara conspired with businessman Noel Carter, where they deliberately failed to submit the seized drugs into the BPD evidence room, and instead provided the stolen narcotics to Carter so Carter could sell those narcotics for profit.. Over the years, the Diazes used that work ethic to put one foot in front of the other long enough to achieve success in agriculture, law enforcement and education. The trio honestly had an unwavering determination in their efforts despite being mere teenagers at the time, and that's what eventually inspired the . The judge sentenced me to a time period that we believe is fair.. Diaz initially became well-known after the release of 2015 Disney movie, McFarland USA, starring Kevin Costner. 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. Talbert announced. Brittny Mejia is a Metro reporter who joined the Los Angeles Times in 2014. As a detective in Bakersfield, Calif., Damacio Diaz rose to national attention after the film McFarland, USA, was released in 2015.The film tells a fictionalized version of the McFarland High . In professional sports, team chemistry is massively valuable and nearly impossible to intentionally construct. Former detective depicted in 'McFarland, USA' is sentenced to five Damacio Diaz, one of the three "running Diaz" brothers who helped build the McFarland . Interview: Actor Ramiro Rodriguez - California Unpublished Only then did they "get to" do 10 half-mile repeats at a 2:45 clip straight uphill. Still, it was rarely the entire quantity as he, his partner Patrick Mara, as well as an associate, reportedly had this combined side hustle. Select from premium Danny Mcfarlane of the highest quality. McFarland, USA is already in theaters and doing well! Trivia. Damacio Diaz Bio, Today, Age, Wife, Hulu's Killing County 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). But his chief is ready to turn his back. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Diaz was a member of the team that won the state championship. Heres what we know. As it turns out, Ramirez was an informant at the behest of Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara. He was in a 2015 episode of Made in Hollywood. The 44-year-old Damacio Diaz was a 17-year veteran of the department Associated Press. Diaz, whose role on McFarland High School's 1987 championship cross country team was documented in the film [] Killing County is scheduled to premiere on Hulu on Friday, February 3. Damacio Diaz, right, shakes hands with Tomas Valles as the team readies for the start of the Southern section championships in the 1987 season. His career as a detective was relatively uneventful until Jorge Ramirez, Jr. was shot by Bakersfield police in September 2013. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. McFarland USA . Finally, Carlos, who plated Thomas Valles, knew everyone would want to know what it was like working with Kevin Costner. In their races, when they'd hit a wall on that last uphill climb, the McFarland runners consistently dug deeper than their opponent. Damacio Diaz, right, shakes hands with Tomas Valles as the team readies for the start of the Southern section championships in the 1987 season. The only reason Im telling that story is because that person is the person that we spent 4 months with. Hanging out with them in the interview room, you could definitely see that connection. Because, as their father told him in a line of dialogue that ended up in the movie, "Every hour my boys train with you is an hour they don't work with me. Find Danny Mcfarlane stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. McFarland, USA (2015) - The A.V. Club A week later, Diaz booked only one pound of methamphetamine from the car into evidence. Where are Damacio and Patrick now? Their businessman associate, Noel Carter, was sentenced to seven years and five months in prison for his role in re-distributing the drugs, as well as defrauding customers to whom he leased space by embezzling checks into his personal bank account. Diaz violated not only the trust of this organization but that of this community. Johnny Samaniego ended up coaching cross-country for 10 years, before coaching the girls' basketball team at McFarland High School. NFL Player Patrick Mahomes' Net, Is Patrick Gibson In A Relationship and Who Has He Dated?, Is YouTube Gaming Killing Twitch? pic.twitter.com/qKxl7i5dfn. When Diaz filed a joint income tax return that year, he omitted additional income of at least $97,900, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Seor Diaz: Valente Rodriguez . They are the real-deal and its inspiringto see their interactions even when they are not on camera together. McFarland USA was released earlier this year and tells the journey of coach Jim White, played by actor Kevin Costner. Diaz was charged with assisting a drug dealer and providing him with names of police informants, and with trafficking drugs that had been seized for evidence. 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. Former detective Patrick Mara was also implicated in the same crime. February 18, 2015 By // by Coralie 6 Comments. In doing so, he betrayed the trust of the public and his fellow officers., Damacio Diaz used his lawful authority as a sworn peace officer with the Bakersfield Police Department to illegally enrich his self-interests, said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. Damacio Diaz was handed down a five-year sentence in federal prison for drug trafficking, bribery and other charges. Caro had a particularly hard time finding the right actor to play McFarland runner Danny Diaz. NBA playoffs: When will the Warriors-Lakers series start? A true crime thriller we made set in Kevin McCarthys district. Diaz was arrested in November following a 17-year career with the Bakersfield Police Department. 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. Both had their sentences reduced. What happened to the characters in McFarland, USA? The film tells a fictionalized version of the McFarland High School cross-country team's 1987 race to victory. The search uncovered an ice chest containing approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine divided into multiple bags. . Diaz initially became well-known after the release of 2015 Disney movie, McFarland USA, starring Kevin Costner.. Rafael was also probably the most soft-spoken and polite young man on the panel (not that they werent all polite). 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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. Read More: Where are BPD Officers Aaron Stringer and Rick Wimbish Now? A South Valley legend so popular he became the subject of a Disney movie has taken a hard fall. Where Is Damacio Diaz Now? 'Killing County' Catches up With Him Damacio Diaz was released Friday from a halfway house in Sacramento. Disgraced cop of 'McFarland USA' fame gets five years in prison Damacio Diaz Wife. In fact, these 7 actorsspent so much time together that they built genuine relationships off the set. But as the McFarland Cougars continued to train, and then started to win, and then kept winning, every runner in White's program became a figurative brother. The primary subject of the documentary is the victim, Jorge Ramirez, Jr. Damacio Diaz is interviewed on camera inKilling County,which premieres on Feb. 3, 2023, on Hulu. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia. Damacio Diaz (R) and guest attend the Bakersfield Special Screening of "McFarland, USA" in Bakersfield, CA on Feb. 15th, 2015. What Happened to Damacio Diaz? Bakersfield Cop Seen in - Newsweek 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. Michael Aguero, who playsDamacio Diaz, was also a runner from the area. 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. Damacio Diaz. Carter was also ordered to pay $70,513 in restitution to his former employerwho he admitted to embezzling money fromand to forfeit $286,251 in proceeds from drug trafficking, according to federal prosecutors. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? . The search uncovered an ice chest containing approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. 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. 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. The film tells a fictionalized version of the McFarland High School cross-country team's 1987 race to victory. Damacio Diaz is married to his wife Courtney Diaz. The docuseries, which is being executive produced byColin Kaepernick, follows a tale of corruption in a California police department. It was such a great experience. 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 . One of the things that take the full movie circle is that this was more than a group of actors, three out of the seven young actors on the team in the movie are from the McFarland areaSergio Avelar, who plays Victor Puentes, and Michael Aguero, cast as Damacio Diaz, are actual runners and Ramiro Rodriguez, as Danny Diaz, was a champion soccer player. Danny Mcfarland Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images We love each other as brothers and we never lost that connection. You travel to the audition simply to drive your cousin who wants to give it a try and somehow end up with a role in the movie. Detective whose story told in 'McFarland USA' gets prison Sacramento, CA. Yet his desire to always be at the front and center of action soon reached such an extent that he started blurring the line between right and wrong, resulting in his arrest in November 2015. We don't know that anyone was physically injured as a result of it, fortunately. When Rodriguez arrived at the auditions, Caro got a call from the producer saying the right person . Principal Camillo: Danny Mora . Diaz and his brothers were members of the . Ramiro Rodriguez had no intention of auditioning when he agreed to . Disgraced detective whose story was told in 'McFarland USA' gets prison Speaking of being off camera, what did each of these young men take away from the movie? What each of the guys were not prepared for was the amount of running duringthe filming. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high . They just did so at night, after seven hours of school and seven more hours of backbreaking work in the fields. A former Bakersfield Police Department detective and member of the famed McFarland High School cross-country team depicted in the Disney film McFarland, USA was sentenced this week to five years in prison. As a detective in Bakersfield, Calif., Damacio Diaz rose to national attention after the film McFarland, USA, was released in 2015. In February 2015, he attended the film's world premiere. Grant Thompson is a screenwriter based in Los Angeles. Synopsis. 'McFarland USA' actor Johnny Ortiz accused of attempted murder Where is Damacio Diaz Now? 'Killing County' on Hulu Explores His - MSN In 2018, another man, Noel Carter, from Bakersfield, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Diaz and Mara to distribute drugs, according to federal prosecutors. David Diaz, Danny Diaz and Damacio Diaz attend the premiere of Disney's "McFarland, USA" at the El Capitan Theatre on February 9, 2015 in Hollywood,. The latest true crime docuseries from ABC News Studios isKilling County,whicharrives onHuluon Feb. 3. Actor Jeremy . 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING is pretty much the most individual sport there is. The BPD dog handler did not seize any of the drugs from the vehicle, but turned the scene over to Diaz and Mara to secure the methamphetamine and oversee the investigation of the incident. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Learn more about the full cast of McFarland, USA with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide . The Feds arrested him at the department Friday morning and removed evidence. ", (L-R) David Diaz, Danny Diaz and Damacio Diaz attend the premiere of Disney's "McFarland, USA" at the El Capitan Theatre on February 9, 2015 in Hollywood, California. For the Diazes, that often was their literal brother. The most police executions. They still hang out and text each other. Julie is one of the main characters in the 2015 Disney sports drama McFarland, USA. BPD detective arrested for drug trafficking - fox47news.com Danny Mcfarland Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Disgraced former BPD detective Damacio Diaz released from federal Michael Aguero - IMDb 1, Panthers' Bryce Young is all 'business now', XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. While on duty on Sept. 20, 2012, Diaz stopped a vehicle operated by two people from Yakima, Wash., and used a police dog handler and police dog to search the car. The search uncovered an ice chest containing approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine divided into multiple bags. Diaz turned his back on those opportunities and broke the trust his community placed in him, violating the very laws he was sworn to enforce.. The married couple exchanged their wedding vows in April 2006. Diaz continued to operate the informant even though he was fully aware of the informants ongoing criminal activity. Go see it! 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. Report an . "The embarrassment is just going to keep growing over this," Laura Harth, the campaign director at Safeguard Defenders, told Newsweek. Diaz was one of the real-life members of the team. BAKERSFIELD, CADamacio Diaz, 43, of McFarland, a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) was arrested today, charged with abusing his position of trust as a police detective when . Damacio Diaz of McFarland cross country fame admits to police corruption and drug charges, faces federal prison. ", 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - An ex-detective who was on the championship 1987 track team depicted in the movie "McFarland USA" has been sentenced to . When they said cut, it was still there.. Is Netflix, Amazon, Fandor, iTunes, etc. Damacio Diaz sentenced | KBAK Diazs former partner, Patrick Mara, 36, of Bakersfield pleaded guilty to related charges on June 20, 2016, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 17, 2016. Mara pleaded guilty to related charges in June and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17. An official website of the United States government. Seora Diaz: Omar Leyva . McFarland, USA (2015) Full Cast & Crew. Thanks! 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. Talbert announced. McFarland, USA - movie: watch streaming online - JustWatch This football coach arrived in town and figured out that the work ethic and stamina forged in the fields would translate better to distance running. She is inspired by her father's passion for running and works hard to be the best athlete she can be. What Happened to Damacio Diaz? A bit more seasoned in their acting careers were the three remaining actors, Carlos Pratts (Thomas Valles),Hector Duran (Johnny Sameniego) and Johnny Ortiz (Jose Cardenas). In doing so, he betrayed the trust of the public and his fellow officers., Damacio Diaz used his lawful authority as a sworn peace officer with the Bakersfield Police Department to illegally enrich his self-interests, said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. The sentence received Monday was more lenient than prosecutors had urged for Damacio Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department. In addition to accepting illegal bribes, Diaz also engaged in drug trafficking while with the BPD. But talking to the Diaz . 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 . But while researching the project, I sat down with the Diaz family. Damacio Diaz's McFarland legacy in jeopardy after arrest Similar to Diaz, Mara pled guilty to stealing narcotics such as methamphetamine and marijuana to give to Noel Carter for profit. People are now proud to say theyre from McFarland. Family Life Diaz turned his back on those opportunities and broke the trust his community placed in him, violating the very laws he was sworn to enforce. 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. They still hang out and text each other. Carloseven told a story about how well Kevin Costner bonded with his9 year old brother. At the time of the crimes, he was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the Southern Tri-County Task Force of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. There used to be a lot of crime back then, like gangsters and stuff, but now its really holding down its spot for the national spotlight. The 2004 Red Sox "idiots," Gregg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs dynasty, or the European Ryder Cup squads -- all of these championship teams have won more than individual player valuation suggested that they should. 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. Jamie White. This case is finally over, and we are extremely blessed and happy to announce that we are victorious, Diaz said. The DOJ said Diaz and Mara deliberately failed to submit seized drugs as evidence and instead provided the stolen narcotics to Carter. For each of them, watching their small town suddenly be on the map has been a blessing. They were running close to 12 hours a day for shooting. But there was something else, something less obvious, that would help create an athletic dynasty that would win nine California state titles within 14 years. After serving his sentence, Mara was sent to a halfway house in Long Beach before ultimately being released in April 2020. Interview with Jim White and the Diaz Brothers for McFarland, USA Therefore, Damacio pleaded guilty to bribery, possession, attempted possession with the intent to distribute, and false income tax returns on May 31, 2016 hed resigned from BPD months prior. Kevin Costner. 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.. His attorney says he should be home for the holidays and then back in court in Fresno in January. Danny Mcfarlane Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Their feet are in the fertile soil, their gaze is forward, and they run shoulder-to-shoulder -- right next to one another. As we sat in the living room of that house, I looked up at the high, wood-beamed ceiling at a hand-painted mural of all seven siblings running through the almond groves around McFarland. "McFarland, USA" is inspired by a 1987 true story, in which an unlikely band of inexperienced, under-equipped, young Latino runners with exceptional determination rise to become cross-country state champions under the leadership of their coach, Jim White.