An El Paso lawyer and antagonist of the KIDS of El Paso County rehabilitation program has been charged with harboring a teenager who ran away from the program Friday. Judge *** of County Court-at-Law No. 2 said a summons was issued Wednesday for lawyer *** of the 11200 block of Pony Soldier. No court date has been set. *** said he was aware of the charge but that he questioned the reasons behind it. He said of Sgt. *** of the police Youth Services Division, who filed the arrest affidavit: "He's a big proponent of KIDS of El Paso. It's difficult for me to imagine that his involvement with KIDS did not motivate him to bring those charges." *** could not be reached for comment. The Class A misdemeanor charge stems from a police report filed Saturday by *** of the 1800 block of Andalucia. In it she told police that her 15-year-old son had been in the KIDS of El Paso program for about two years and seven months. He left Friday, failing to return to the KIDS building at 6500 Boeing after classes at Desert View Middle School. *** contacted at her home Wednesday night, declined comment, but in her police report she told police that "personnel from the KIDS program called her and told her that they had information that her son was at (a house in the 8400 block of Saratoga.)" Police went to that house which belongs to a friend of *** - but did not find the 15-year-old during a search. *** said Wednesday that the boy was not staying with him. When asked if the 15 year-old had been staying with him, *** said: "I'm not going to comment. But staying with someone does not constitute harboring a runaway." *** later arranged a conference call with the boy and the boy said he was in El Paso and safe but didn't want to be a part of the rehabilitation program anymore. He said he was angry because since being in the program, "I've lost my education, totally.” He listed only two benefits of the program: "I can pay attention a little better, and I can sit up a bit straighter" *** had said in a police report he filed Monday against the 15-year-old that the boy to be at (*** home.)” *** reported that his .22-caliber automatic pistol had been stolen. He said Wednesday that the boy returned the pistol the next day and that Monday was the only day the boy had been allowed to stay at *** home "for a period of time." The boy stole the gun, *** said as "a desperate act, but not a surprising act" to protect himself against people who want him to return to the program. Last March, *** alleged that KIDS was holding an 18-year-old man against his will. *** complaints led to a state investigation of the program. The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse is threatening to revoke KIDS' license because of alleged violations of state regulations and laws.
