Events

Richard Edward Raymond is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 42, which encompasses western Webb County and includes the city of Laredo. He is Chairman of the Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee and is a member of the State Affairs Committee.

Mr. Alaniz is the elected District Attorney for the 49^th Judicial District of Texas. The district encompasses Webb and Zapata Counties and the office is in Laredo, Texas. The jurisdiction population is close to 300,000. Currently entering his 17^th year as District Attorney, Mr. Alaniz has been re-elected for his 5^th term.

A licensed attorney for 29 years, Mr. Alaniz earned his stripes as an Assistant DA in the 90s, an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas, and a solo practitioner for 9 years. A trial lawyer by heart, and State Board-certified criminal law specialist since 2001, Mr. Alaniz is a hands-on DA who leads in the courtroom by example. With an office of more than 27 Assistant District Attorneys and an overall staff of 86, Mr. Alaniz has been lead counsel on many complex and significant cases.

Recently in late 2022 and 2023 his trial experience culminated in two of the biggest cases in county, state, and national history. He was lead counsel in the trial of the Border Patrol serial killer case—the State of Texas vs. Juan David Ortiz.

Six months later in June of 2023, Mr. Alaniz led the prosecution team in the case of the second Border Patrol Agent accused of Capital Murder—the State of Texas vs. Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles. The trial which lasted about 4 weeks, received national and international coverage on Court TV and Law and Crime.

Today, Laredo is one of the safest cities in the United States. A key factor in having a safe community is law enforcement collaboration, communication, and cooperation.   Under DA Alaniz, the office has strong ties with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies by embedding DA Task Force Investigators with Federal Agencies and through the partnership with the State of Texas Border Prosecution Unit.   These alliances allow law enforcement to deter and prevent transnational organized crime, drug, smuggling, and violent crimes. 

Mr. Alaniz has served his fellow prosecutors on the state level as a Regional Board of Director from 2019-2021 and State-wide Director at Large from 2021- 2023 with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association “TDCAA”. In 2024, he was appointed to the Criminal Justice section of the State Bar of Texas for a term of 3 years.

Victor Vasquez III serves as the Director of Webb County DWI & Juvenile Drug Courts, presided over by Webb County Court-at-Law II Judge Victor Villarreal. These specialized courts focus on supporting individuals affected by substance abuse, providing rehabilitation through the criminal justice system with a collaborative network of agencies and services.

Victor also serves as Chair of the City Parks & Recreation Board, a position he has held for the past three years. Additionally, he is an active member of the boards for the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), the TXDOT Laredo District Traffic Safety Coalition, and the Webb County Community Coalition. Over the years, he has contributed to numerous special city and county committees.

This Friday's meeting will consist of a Social Interactive/Networking Time.