A San Diego federal jury returned the verdict against Marcos Valenzuela after less than two hours of deliberations following a two-day trial.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was found guilty Wednesday of abusing his law enforcement powers during a violent arrest at the Calexico Port of Entry, then lying about it.
Valenzuela, 30, of El Centro, was convicted on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsifying records in a federal investigation. The officer told Lopez to get back in his vehicle, but Lopez ignored him and yelled that the motorcyclist had hit his car and should pay for damage, the motorcyclist told prosecutors. Valenzuela then threatened to throw Lopez to the ground if he didn’t get in his car, prosecutors said.Luis Antonio Pulido-Esparza, 34, was booked into Kings County Jail on suspicion of murder and child abuse, records show.
It was Lopez’s turn next, and he drove up with his identification outstretched. Valenzuela started, “All right, bro. Check it out. I already called upstairs ...” and then told Lopez the motorcyclist didn’t do anything wrong.
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