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Dovalina conspired with retired Sergeant Alfonso Santos and former Lieutenant Eloy Rodriguez to extort more than $90,000 from the operators of illegal eight-liner gambling businesses in exchange for protection from police raids.<ref name=chiefguilty/> Octavio Salinas, II, the [[attorney]] for Dovalina, blamed the crime on a "financial crisis" which prompted the former chief "into a moment where he lacked judgment." Dovalina actually had a family income approaching $200,000 annually, very large by most standards in Laredo.  

Dovalina conspired with retired Sergeant Alfonso Santos and former Lieutenant Eloy Rodriguez to extort more than $90,000 from the operators of illegal eight-liner gambling businesses in exchange for protection from police raids.<ref name=chiefguilty/> Octavio Salinas, II, the [[attorney]] for Dovalina, blamed the crime on a "financial crisis" which prompted the former chief "into a moment where he lacked judgment." Dovalina actually had a family income approaching $200,000 annually, very large by most standards in Laredo.  

<ref name>jaguilar/>

<ref name=jaguilar/>

Meanwhile, Dovalina had a [[heart attack]] and was involved in four fender-bender accidents in his police vehicle, two of which netted tickets. Then, his house burned, and a daughter suffered smoke inhalation. In July 2006, Dovalina underwent an emergency balloon angioplasty to clear a clogged [[artery]] and restore blood flow. According to court documents, Dovalina accepted his first bribe in June 2006, a month prior to his surgery; he took the second $5,000 bribe in September 2006. Dovalina disputed the amount of the bribes that he admitted to having received. So did Santos, who contends that he received $27,800 for himself and $10,000 for Dovalina, not the $95,000 claimed by the government. Santos and Rodriguez also competed for illegal funds and influence with Dovalina. Rodriguez claimed to have given Dovalina another $10,000, but Dovalina disputed his former associates. The acceptance of the bribes was recorded on videotape.<ref name=jaguilar>Julian Aguilar, "Just the facts: Documents show Dovalina's alleged hardship did not exist," ''Laredo Morning Times,'' November 25, 2007, pp. 1, 11A.</ref>

Meanwhile, Dovalina had a [[heart attack]] and was involved in four fender-bender accidents in his police vehicle, two of which netted tickets. Then, his house burned, and a daughter suffered smoke inhalation. In July 2006, Dovalina underwent an emergency balloon angioplasty to clear a clogged [[artery]] and restore blood flow. According to court documents, Dovalina accepted his first bribe in June 2006, a month prior to his surgery; he took the second $5,000 bribe in September 2006. Dovalina disputed the amount of the bribes that he admitted to having received. So did Santos, who contends that he received $27,800 for himself and $10,000 for Dovalina, not the $95,000 claimed by the government. Santos and Rodriguez also competed for illegal funds and influence with Dovalina. Rodriguez claimed to have given Dovalina another $10,000, but Dovalina disputed his former associates. The acceptance of the bribes was recorded on videotape.<ref name=jaguilar>Julian Aguilar, "Just the facts: Documents show Dovalina's alleged hardship did not exist," ''Laredo Morning Times,'' November 25, 2007, pp. 1, 11A.</ref>