In the podcast series “Witnessed: Borderlands,” host Rob D’Amico dives into the tangled tale of former Presidio County Sheriff Rick Thompson. This detailed exploration set in the stark Texas borderlands draws listeners back to the 1970s through the early ’90s, during the onset of the U.S. War on Drugs—a period riddled with corruption and temptation due to the vast sums of drug money crossing the Rio Grande.
Thompson, who held the sheriff’s office from 1973 until his arrest in 1991, was convicted for his role in a $48 million cocaine smuggling operation. Despite his felony conviction and a life sentence, later reduced to 360 months with release in 2018, Thompson’s portrait still resides on the wall of the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office. This controversial decision keeps his image alongside those of other past and current sheriffs, sparking debate among the community and law enforcement about the message it sends.
The podcast not only recounts Thompson’s dramatic fall from grace but also reflects on the broader implications of drug trafficking challenges in the region. As “Witnessed: Borderlands” uncovers, these issues persist, affecting new generations and continuing to shape the law enforcement landscape.
This series, part of The Binge network, offers listeners an immersive journey into real crime stories that grip and enthrall. With each episode, “Witnessed: Borderlands” blends the shockingly real with the deeply surreal, unraveling the complex history and mythos of one of America’s most iconic regions.
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Listen to the series on Apple Podcasts
Crime and History Reporting Sponsored by Rod Ponton’s Big Bend Law with offices in Presidio and Alpine, Texas
