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. Though according to Damacios own account in the Hulu production, his dreams and aspirations took a complete turn once he witnessed some adrenaline-pumping, actual police work first-hand. A full house of over three hundred gave a rousing standing ovation to Jim and his wife, Cheryl. Former detective depicted in 'McFarland, USA' is sentenced to five You know we are a God-fearing folks, so we were teaching in Sunday school on Sundays. 17 Damacio Diaz Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 17 Damacio Diaz Premium High Res Photos Browse 17 damacio diaz stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. We didnt have that close to us. Disgraced cop's 5-year sentence a fraction of prosection's recommendation, Corrupt cops compel Kern DA to inform defense attorneys about 'tainted' cases. White sees the athletic They all spend some time running with the cross country team, as well as with their own kids. Learn how your comment data is processed. It taught you how to accept losing or winning. More than 100 convictions were overturned as a result. Damacio Diaz was a Bakersfield police detective who was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2016 for stealing drugs to put back onto the street. Girl, 13, Went Missing Last Week, and Suspect Is Arrested on . So Im always looking out for their kids. So , DANNY DIAZ : Mr. White never went back to Stockton never again. As you pull into McFarland, you will know notice a silhouette of a runner running through an open field. Keep an eye on your inbox for updates. Eguenia was best described by many that Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. All seven Diaz Mara was released from a halfway house in April after serving a little less than four years in federal prison. Mr. White was there as a person that we can rely on. If you havent seen a trailer yet, here you go, Follow McFARLAND, USA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcfarlandusa, Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures. Whether it be Burglary, Financial Crimes Detail, Homicide, Narcotics Investigations, Sexual Assault, Special Enforcement (Gang), or Vice, he worked in every department at one point or the other. Real-Life Diaz Brothers Discuss Growing Up in McFarland, USA Right before interviewing Kevin Costner (see that here), we had the great privilege of interviewing the real life inspirations behind the new Disney film, McFarland, USA, Coach Jim White and the Diaz brothers, David, Damacio and Danny.They were so charming, and funny, and honest. 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. He gave them information to clean up the department, said his lawyer, David Torres, in an interview. In 2016 Diaz was sentenced for crimes including federal. 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. The three Diaz brothers featured in the new Disney movie, David, Damacio and Danny, all speak highly of both of their parents. Yes. experience coaching the team. On that day, Leopoldo became a man. His wife and family, including a brother who works at McFarland high school, all supported him in court Friday afternoon. Public corruption takes a heavy toll on our communities, and our office remains committed to prosecuting such conduct.". In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. 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. DAVID DIAZ : Not at all. Sports in high school can make or break a young man. Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Many of White's former runners credit him with inspiring them to achieve personal and career goals they would have otherwise deemed impossible (People.com). 1998 July - Damacio Diaz hired by the Bakersfield Police Department. Plus I love Kevin Costner! DANNY DIAZ : That is true. The Real Life Inspirations Jim White, David Diaz, Damacio Diaz & Danny Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is the new No. Damacio Diaz, photo courtesy of Mama Latina Tips. According to the California Department of Justice, Diaz and Mara conspired with another man, Noel Carter, 46. We, we basically told our story, got interviewed for hours and hour and hours, and that was pretty much it. They talk about being inspired to strive for something beyond picking in the fields. Overall though, they agreed that the picker lifestyle and Latino culture of the community was perfectly captured. challenged town in California's farm-rich What Happened to Isabella Pollok? Everything About Larry Ray's 'Lieutenant' Mr. White had a lot more influence in how this script was written. Disney turned it into a. But I also understand clearly that while he did not sell his soul, he certainly rented it out.. The sentence received Monday was more lenient than prosecutors had urged for Damacio Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department. Its hard to understand how he could do both.. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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 BPD officers who resold seized drugs released from federal Is that how the last race happened? Those are the two extremes and those are the two options that are there for our community. Their stories were told in a beautiful way and they are excited Disney picked their tale to tell. Diaz said that his time as a narcotics detective drove him to a life of drinking and that Magallanes, a drug dealer and a prominent member of the Mexican Mafia, became more friend than informant. But I still do that and I coach. Diaz, his large extended family, his friends and supporters including Jim White, the legendary McFarland High School cross country coach who was featured along with the Diaz brothers in the Disney movie, McFarland, USA, gathered in a prayer circle outside the courtroom following the hearing. Jim White, David Diaz, Damacio Diaz and Danny Diaz for McFarland, USA. Talbert said that we concluded no officers were complicit in joining Diaz and Mara, and that no further prosecutions were planned at this time. We are no longer theHeartbeat of Agriculture. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. 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. 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. Lisa Green is sending letters to defendants in 64 potentially tainted criminal convictions after her office examined scores of convictions involving the work of the disgraced pair. Diaz was not remanded into custody. Right now our community is excited obviously with the movie and rightfully so. Damacio Diaz pleaded guilty to bribery, drugtrafficking and tax evasion. No. [LAUGHS] We didnt do cabbage. The Diaz brothers represent 3 of the 7 runners from the McFarland Cross Country team of 1987. He was a fifth grade teacher and before he was a P.E. Defendant reserves the . Some of these teams that came after us were way better than us, way better than me as far as the running. [CHUCKLES] And, and we didnt train and we got fifth that year. Acting U.S. Atty. . Ray was arrested in February 2020 and in April 2022, following a four-week trial, he was convicted on several counts. DANNY DIAZ : Yeah, if you drive600 miles out . 'McFarland USA' Hero Arrested For Conspiring With Drug Dealer DAMACIO DIAZ : And if I can add to that. Calif. Damacio Diaz - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Former detective Patrick Mara was also implicated in the same crime. 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? It depends on the circumstances. The story of McFarland started with a cross-country in the '80s. These were the guys running in the California heat and winning state titles. 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. 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. Diaz was a local celebrity at the time. She was amazing in the movie. Diaz, a former Bakersfield police detective, is interviewed on camera in Killing County. Officer Damacio Diaz - Ugly Judge To you culture, um, is all about community and it takes a village to raise a child.