Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs has one of his more notorious inmates back in custody after two deputies arrived Tuesday night with Chris Diaz after an extradition trip to Mendocino County California. According to Sheriff Grubbs, the trip was without incident or problems.
Diaz’s return comes nearly a year to the date when he failed to show up for a hearing on January 18th, 2011 to face charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver and Manufacture of Controlled Substance, over four grams and under 400 grams.
Authorities had been looking for Diaz for nine months after he failed to show up in court on these drug charges before he was arrested in Mendocino County California on October 30th after an anonymous tip, according to Brown County Sheriff’s Office. The tipster had “unfavorable dealings” with Diaz and another man and when she “googled” the pair, found that Diaz had a warrant for his arrest, according to BCSO investigator Carlisle Gover. The men were seen again by the tipster that afternoon and a call was made to BCSO who then alerted authorities in California. Diaz has been held in the Mendocino County Jail since his arrest in October.
Diaz’s original bond was secured by his grandparents who put real estate up as collateral. Diaz was released after posting a bond of $35,000 on September 15, 2011. District Attorney Micheal Murray made a motion, after Diaz failed to appear in court, to have Diaz rearrested and a warrant be sought for his arrest. The warrant was issued and the initial bond for Diaz was revoked and a new bond was set in the amount of $105,000 (triple the initial amount), according to Murray.
Earl Kimbrell of A-Action Bail Bonds stated that the extradition cost his company approximately $4000.
Sheriff Grubbs was satisfied knowing Chris Diaz was back in the Brown County Jail and stated that he knew in the beginning if bail was posted, Diaz would not be planning to come back.“I fully expected him to run,” said Grubbs. “Anyone who does not recognize our Constitution and government is not going to work with our court systems.”22-year-old Diaz was indicted in July of 2010 for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrested Diaz on June 27, 2010 when he was charged with Possession of Marijuana (less than two ounces) and Manufacture of Controlled Substance, over four grams and under 400 grams. Prosecutors claimed in court that Diaz was in possession of 14 grams of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or “hash” (a more potent form of marijuana), which has a street value of $2400.
Diaz remains at the Brown County Jail held on charges of Failure to Appear/Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, Bail Jumping and Failure to Appear, Failure to Appear Possession of Marijuana less than 2 oz. and a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance and bonds totaling $168,000.
Supporters of Diaz have explained that the marijuana was in his possession due to a prescription from California and is used as medication for relief from asthma.
Diaz’s mother, Rhonda Martin vigilantly defends him and argues that his prescription was legal in California and should be recognized in Texas.“What Christopher was arrested for there in Texas is legally his medicine here,” stated Martin in an email to BrownwoodNews.com. “And it is only a plant, given to us by God.”
Diaz has filed to represent himself in court, and according to Assistant District Attorney Sam Moss, should go to trial sometime around April of this year; after all pretrial matters are finalized.
