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Texas Deputy Arrested in Sting at Jail

BY PETER J. HOLLEY and ALIA CONLEY
San Antonio Express-News

Fifty dollars.

That's all it took for a Bexar County sheriff's deputy to risk arrest and the end of his 20-year-career, authorities said.

Robert Falcon, 48, was busted Friday in a sting operation in which undercover investigators gave him $50 in marked bills to deliver up to 4 grams of fake heroin, or about a tablespoon's worth, authorities said.

Falcon was charged with possession of heroin with intent to deliver, said Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz. Falcon's bail was set at $20,000.

Investigators supplied the fake heroin to Falcon on Friday morning to sell to inmates at the Bexar County Jail, said sheriff's spokeswoman Linda Tomasini.

The heroin was dropped off in a bag of tacos in front of Falcon's apartment door in the 7000 block of Woodchase Drive.

The sheriff said the sting was set up after his office received a tip Thursday that someone was possibly smuggling drugs into the jail.

After investigating the tip and interviewing inmates, authorities were led to Falcon, Ortiz said.

When Falcon began his work shift at 6:15 a.m., he was taken into custody, Ortiz said.

He said investigators recovered the fake heroin from the deputy's lunch bag.

"It's an especially sad day when someone throws away his 20-year career because of this," Ortiz said.

The sheriff said steps will be taken to fire Falcon from the Sheriff's Office.

Ortiz said Falcon acted alone, and no other deputies were implicated in the sting.

He said an investigation is ongoing to find out how long the deputy had been delivering drugs to inmates.

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Why are people so greedy and stupid?