Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez will be cooking brisket burgers Monday, Nov. 9, as part of a fundraiser benefiting the Thin Blue Line Charity’s annual Community Holiday Celebration. And if history repeats itself, a controversial former sheriff could make an appearance.
A law enforcement officer who previously worked for former Presidio County Sheriff Rick Thompson told Big Bend Reporter publisher David Flash that he spotted Thompson at Dominguez’s last fundraiser.
The source’s identity is being withheld. His previous employment under Thompson is not widely known.
Thompson, who was convicted in a federal cocaine-smuggling case, was released from prison in April 2018. His case remains one of the most notorious law enforcement corruption scandals in the Big Bend region’s history.
The upcoming fundraiser is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office, 320 N. Highland St. in Marfa.
Brisket burgers with chips will be sold for $15, with brisket prepared by Dominguez himself. The event is organized by the Thin Blue Line Charity’s Presidio County chapter.
According to the event announcement, all proceeds will benefit the charity’s fourth annual Community Holiday Celebration, which will provide free toys to children and complimentary refreshments.
Cash, Venmo and Cash App will be accepted. Sales will continue until the food is sold out.
A possible encounter with a podcast subject
Thompson’s reported attendance at a previous fundraiser also presents an interesting possibility for Rob D’Amico, managing editor of The Big Bend Sentinel and host of the investigative podcast “Witnessed: Borderlands.”
The podcast examined the drug-trafficking scandal involving Thompson and Robert Chambers, exploring the relationships among law enforcement, drug traffickers and residents of the Texas-Mexico border region.
Despite interviewing numerous people connected to the case, D’Amico has never interviewed Thompson.
D’Amico previously told Flash that he has never even spoken with the former sheriff.
That means one of the central figures in the investigation remains someone the podcast’s host has never questioned directly.
Whether Thompson plans to attend Monday’s fundraiser is unknown. His reported appearance at the previous event does not establish that he will return.
But if he does, perhaps D’Amico will finally have an opportunity to speak with the former sheriff whose story helped inspire the podcast.
In the meantime, residents can support the Thin Blue Line Charity’s holiday efforts while enjoying a brisket burger prepared by the county’s current sheriff.
