http://www.pilotonline.com/news/nw0208rai.html
FBI agent recounts Eastern Shore raid
Ipolito ''Polo'' Campos
By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© February 8, 2003
In the black of night, four troopers charged to the front of the trailer and began prying open the door.
They shouted, ``State police, search warrant! State police, search warrant!''
A fifth trooper stood guard outside while FBI agents and sheriff's deputies surrounded the trailer outside Accomac on Tuesday night. They were looking for Ipolito ``Polo'' Campos, a man suspected of threatening to poison Virginia's public water supplies.
At a federal court hearing Friday in Norfolk, an FBI agent described the mayhem that ensued.
Campos, believing his neighbors were attacking, ran into his kitchen and grabbed a sawed-off shotgun from next to the stove.
As the door was about to burst, he and his friend ran to a back bedroom. Campos squatted on one side of the room and his friend waited on the other side with a .22-caliber rifle.
Trooper Howard A. Chambers was the first through the door. Still shouting, Chambers looked around and began following the voices coming from the bedroom.
Suddenly, buckshot blasted through the bedroom door and ripped apart Chambers' weapon, tearing holes in his arm and shoulder. In that split second, he managed to pull the trigger twice.
A deafening sound of gunfire followed, most of it piercing the thin walls separating the bedroom from the living room/kitchen. The troopers retreated.
Campos, still unsure who was attacking, ran out the back door.
In the blackness, an FBI agent couldn't see who ran out, but he shouted at the man.
Campos contemplated turning the gun on those chasing him, but it wouldn't have done him any good. The gun was empty.
He dropped the weapon and surrendered.
When the smoke cleared, Campos' friend and roommate, who has not been publicly identified, was dead in a pool of blood in the bedroom. His neck had been blown apart by the buckshot from Chambers' gun.
Paramedics carried Chambers to a Maryland State Police helicopter. He was flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Officials said the trooper had 25 pieces of buckshot and shrapnel in his arm, hand and shoulder.
The investigation of Campos began on Jan. 18.
That's when Roberto Perez, an acquaintance, reported to the Accomack County Sheriff's Department that Campos had told him he was an ``Arabian'' sent here to poison Virginia's waters, according to testimony Friday. ``If he did not poison the water someone would kill him,'' federal court records say.
The case was turned over to the FBI, which led to Tuesday night's raid.
Campos, a migrant worker from Mexico who speaks no English, was charged with using phony immigration documents and a false Social Security number. He has been unemployed since being fired in December from an Eastern Shore seafood company after testing positive for drugs, court records say.
The FBI said no evidence exists that Campos ever intended to poison water.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla told Magistrate F. Bradford Stillman on Friday that he will seek grand jury approval of additional charges of attempted murder of a police officer. Campos also faces deportation, he said.
But Campos' attorney hinted at a possible defense: Campos was confused and scared by the troopers, who were dressed in dark clothing and spoke in English.
``In subsequent interviews, did Mr. Campos express his belief that they were being attacked by local residents?'' the defense attorney, Larry Shelton, asked FBI agent Jason W. Freed on the witness stand Friday.
``Yes sir, he did,'' Freed answered.
Eastern Shore residents have long been critical of the thousands of migrant workers who pass through the region each year.
``These people had every reason to believe they were being attacked by nonofficial attackers, residents of the area intent on doing them harm,'' said Shelton, an assistant federal public defender.
But DePadilla said the officers ``clearly identified themselves numerous times for several minutes before entering.''
Stillman ruled that Campos' illegal immigration status makes him a flight risk. He ordered him held without bond pending the grand jury action, which is expected to happen within 30 days.
Meanwhile, state police officials said they are conducting an internal investigation into the raid. The superintendent will make the final decision on whether any laws or policies were violated.
FBI agent recounts Eastern Shore raid
Ipolito ''Polo'' Campos
By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© February 8, 2003
In the black of night, four troopers charged to the front of the trailer and began prying open the door.
They shouted, ``State police, search warrant! State police, search warrant!''
A fifth trooper stood guard outside while FBI agents and sheriff's deputies surrounded the trailer outside Accomac on Tuesday night. They were looking for Ipolito ``Polo'' Campos, a man suspected of threatening to poison Virginia's public water supplies.
At a federal court hearing Friday in Norfolk, an FBI agent described the mayhem that ensued.
Campos, believing his neighbors were attacking, ran into his kitchen and grabbed a sawed-off shotgun from next to the stove.
As the door was about to burst, he and his friend ran to a back bedroom. Campos squatted on one side of the room and his friend waited on the other side with a .22-caliber rifle.
Trooper Howard A. Chambers was the first through the door. Still shouting, Chambers looked around and began following the voices coming from the bedroom.
Suddenly, buckshot blasted through the bedroom door and ripped apart Chambers' weapon, tearing holes in his arm and shoulder. In that split second, he managed to pull the trigger twice.
A deafening sound of gunfire followed, most of it piercing the thin walls separating the bedroom from the living room/kitchen. The troopers retreated.
Campos, still unsure who was attacking, ran out the back door.
In the blackness, an FBI agent couldn't see who ran out, but he shouted at the man.
Campos contemplated turning the gun on those chasing him, but it wouldn't have done him any good. The gun was empty.
He dropped the weapon and surrendered.
When the smoke cleared, Campos' friend and roommate, who has not been publicly identified, was dead in a pool of blood in the bedroom. His neck had been blown apart by the buckshot from Chambers' gun.
Paramedics carried Chambers to a Maryland State Police helicopter. He was flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Officials said the trooper had 25 pieces of buckshot and shrapnel in his arm, hand and shoulder.
The investigation of Campos began on Jan. 18.
That's when Roberto Perez, an acquaintance, reported to the Accomack County Sheriff's Department that Campos had told him he was an ``Arabian'' sent here to poison Virginia's waters, according to testimony Friday. ``If he did not poison the water someone would kill him,'' federal court records say.
The case was turned over to the FBI, which led to Tuesday night's raid.
Campos, a migrant worker from Mexico who speaks no English, was charged with using phony immigration documents and a false Social Security number. He has been unemployed since being fired in December from an Eastern Shore seafood company after testing positive for drugs, court records say.
The FBI said no evidence exists that Campos ever intended to poison water.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla told Magistrate F. Bradford Stillman on Friday that he will seek grand jury approval of additional charges of attempted murder of a police officer. Campos also faces deportation, he said.
But Campos' attorney hinted at a possible defense: Campos was confused and scared by the troopers, who were dressed in dark clothing and spoke in English.
``In subsequent interviews, did Mr. Campos express his belief that they were being attacked by local residents?'' the defense attorney, Larry Shelton, asked FBI agent Jason W. Freed on the witness stand Friday.
``Yes sir, he did,'' Freed answered.
Eastern Shore residents have long been critical of the thousands of migrant workers who pass through the region each year.
``These people had every reason to believe they were being attacked by nonofficial attackers, residents of the area intent on doing them harm,'' said Shelton, an assistant federal public defender.
But DePadilla said the officers ``clearly identified themselves numerous times for several minutes before entering.''
Stillman ruled that Campos' illegal immigration status makes him a flight risk. He ordered him held without bond pending the grand jury action, which is expected to happen within 30 days.
Meanwhile, state police officials said they are conducting an internal investigation into the raid. The superintendent will make the final decision on whether any laws or policies were violated.
