Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala Counties Juvenile Board Tables Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce Ballou’s Employment Status

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

The Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala Counties Juvenile Board approved to table agenda item numbers 4 and 5 concerning the discussion to hear complaints or charges against the Chief Juvenile Probation Officer for the Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala Counties Probation Department and to deliberate the dismissal of the Chief Juvenile Probrabion Officer [Bruce Ballou] for the Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala Counties Probation Department at a public meeting held on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at the Maverick County Courthouse in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Juvenile Board Chairman 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III called agenda item number 4 and convened into Executive Session to discuss the hotly debated agenda item which has been on the Board’s agenda for the past several months.

After returning into Open Session, the Board approved to table the controversial item for further clarification to a future meeting.

293rd Judicial District Chief Juvenile Probation Offcier Bruce Ballou was suspended with pay on July 6, 2015 pending the results of an investigation regarding the alleged exploitation of Maverick County Juvenile Probationers.

The Juvenile Board appointed Dimmit County Deputy Sheriff and Constable Ruth Ceniceros to investigate the allegations of exploitation of the Maverick County Juvenile Probationers on July 6, 2015.  Ceniceros is believed to have concluded her investigation and presented a report to Board members.

Ballou remains on the tri-county taxpayers payroll pending the Juvenile Board’s taking formal action on the controversial agenda item concerning Ballou’s employment status.  The 293td Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department is funded by State of Texas grant monies and the taxpayers of Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala counties.

Maverick County Probation Officer Carlos Segura was appointed by the Juvenile Board on July 6, 2015 to act as Interim Chief Juvenile Probation Officer pending resolution of the investigation and Board action.

The Juvenile Board will reconvene in another public meeting on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 5 P.M. at the Maverick County Courthouse in Eagle Pass, Texas to address Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce Ballou’s employment status.

The Juvenile Board is composed of 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, 293rd Judicial District Judge Cynthia Muniz, Dimmit County Judge Frank Ponce, Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo, and Zavala County Judge Joe Luna.