Juvenile Board temporarily suspends 293rd Judicial District Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce Ballou & two others pending investigation of exploitation of juvenile probationers
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal 2015 Copyright
The Juvenile Board of Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties held a meeting on Monday, July 6, 2015 at the Dimmit County District Courthouse in Carrizo Springs, Texas and approved to temporarily suspend with pay three employees of the 293rd Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department including Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce Ballou, Deputy Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Orvando Freeman, and Juvenile Probation Officer Jose Perez until an investigation is completed regarding the alleged exploitation of juvenile probationers from Maverick County, Texas and appointed 293rd Judicial District Probation Officer Juan Carlos Segura as Interim Administrator of the Juvenile Probation Department pending the investigation or further order of the Juvenile Board.
The Juvenile Board of Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties is composed of 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, 293rd Judicial District Judge Cynthia Muniz, Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo, Dimmit County Judge Frank Ponce, and Zavala County Judge Joe Luna. Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, is the new President of the Juvenile Board.
The two state district judges and three county judges Juvenile Board appointed Dimmit County Deputy Sheriff and Constable Ruth Ceniceros to conduct the investigation of the alleged exploitation of juvenile probationers from Maverick County.
Since the alleged exploitation of juvenile probationers from Maverick County may consitute a violation of the probationers’ civil rights and/or constitutional rights, there is possibility that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may investigate these serious allegations. Alternatively, the Texas Department of Public Safety-Texas Rangers Division may be another entity which may take an interest in investigating the allegations of exploitation of state juvenile probationers.
Bruce Ballou was appointed Chief Juvenile Probation Officer of the 293rd Judicial District effective on April 1, 2011. Ballou was also honored as Mr. Amigo 2013 for the Amistad Friendship Festival by the joint Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, International Good Neighbor Council. Ballou is a native of Lubbock, Texas and previously worked as a Chief Juvenile Probation Officer in other counties in Texas.
The temporary suspension of Ballou, Freeman, and Perez are with pay until the investigation is completed or until futher order of the Juvenile Board.
These are merely allegations of exploitation of juvenile probationers from Maverick County and no one has been found to have violated any juvenile probationers’ rights.
The Juvenile Board were presented with a letter of resignation from Becky Ballou as the part-time grant writer of the 293rd Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department. Becky Ballou was a part-time grant writer of the Juvenile Probation Department at an approximate salary and benefits package totaling $40,700, not including her full-time salary and benefits as Director of Social Services of Maverick County, a position she still holds.
Subject to the investigation being completed or further order of the Juvenile Board, 293rd Probation Officer Juan Carlos Segura will be the Interim Administrator of the 293rd Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department.
