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Notes taken during conversation with Peter McGonagle concerning the facts of his involvement with the controversy reported by Gringo Gazette (Feb.-May).
Date: May 4, 2000 Summarized by Al Razutis from notes taken during the conversation. There was no audio recording of the conversation. Concerning the events at Los Zacatitos as put forward by Peter McGonagle: Peter is generally aware that on February 12 at approximately 5 p.m. Gene Crain poured gasoline on an open latrine that had been breeding mosquitoes for weeks. He did not provide Crain with gasoline or 'diesel fuel' as alleged in the Gringo Gazette. In January (2000) he had heard complaints from home owners adjoining the construction site with the open latrine about mosquito infestation in the area and health concerns. He had recommended to them to contact the Health Department for remedy. Peter McGonagle did not have anything to do with the incident at the latrine. He was not present nor did he accompany Crain to the site. There was no house there at the time, only unfinished foundations, therefore the charges that the house was 'burned down' is incorrect. Ted Goodman is a Canadian who distributes and installs solar panels on the East Cape. Peter has hired him for previous work before. Goodman lost the job to install a solar system for the Connors, a home construction project (since completed) which Oceana and Peter were building. Goodman is also a friend of Joe Nied. Peter thinks Goodman gave the story to Duncan. Peter has never been required to make a report to the police. He is not under investigation by the police or Immigration. He has never been arrested by the police, he is not hiding from Immigration. The accusations contained in Joe Nied's report to the police mentioning his involvement are untrue. On the subjects and allegations against Peter McGonagle made by the writers of the Gringo Gazette: 'Vigilante Terror' Peter has no idea what that refers to. In May of 1999 Peter and workers caught a man at Stan's (a few lots down from his home) stealing objects from Stan's bodega. They called the Judicial Police who apprehended the man and ultimately discovered a theft-ring in San Jose. The police recovered 20 thousand dollars worth of goods stolen from property owners and detained 15 members of this ring. In August 1999, at Shipwrecks (a few kilometers north-east along the East Cape road) Peter picked up two men hitch-hiking towards San Jose with two suspicious garbage bags full of unknown items. When he stopped his vehicle (at Zacatitos) he demanded to know the contents of the bags. He opened the bags and discovered TVs and vcrs and other items. He called the Judicial Police again and the suspects were apprehended (after fleeing into the desert) with Peter's help by the police. 'Extortion' He has no idea where that came from or what it refers to. He has never turned people down for help. His company Oceana manages approximately 20 homes in the area. Peter is involved in property management and is General Manager of Oceana. Ian McGonagle, his brother, is foreman and contractor; Brenda McGonagle, his wife, is president of the company. 'Bribed the Police' This allegation by the Gazette is totally false. "Never once have I bribed a police officer" he states. He has been in contact with Martin Santiago, San Jose del Cabo transit police whose off-duty officers patrol Zacatitos in grey vehicles bearing a sign (they are called 'vigilantes' by the local population). These officers provide a service and assist in protecting private property in the outlying community where San Jose del Cabo police patrols are rarely seen. 'Hiding from Immigration' Immigration is not looking for him to deport him. Peter got his FM2 (residency and work permit) from Immigration on April 28, 2000. This was upgraded from FM3. Hernandez, an immigration official named in a Gazette article, has issued a 'Denuncia' against the Gazette. Source of this is Francisco Ramirez, Peter's attorney from La Paz. On April 10, the Gazette came out with several articles and editorial attacking him, Ian, Gene Crain, and Lynn Crammer and demanding that they be deported immediately. On April 11, two officials from Immigration came to Zacatitos to presumably take Crain and him to the airport and deport them. He was not home at the time of their visit but on a work site. The officials left a summons to appear at Immigration with Peter's father. On April 12, Brenda and Peter, and Jorge Correa went to Immigration, San Lucas. While Peter waited outside, his attorney talked with immigration who said that they had a report of some wrongdoing and would investigate it. There was no action taken by Immigration against him. His attorney spoke to Immigration in La Paz who said they were unaware of anything concerning this case. On April 12-14, Peter's attorney succeeded in getting an 'Amparo' (protection order) prohibiting pre-emptive action (deportation or arrest) against him. On April 13 or 14, Peter's attorney made representation to the head judge at Los Cabos who, his attorney says, was incensed that someone had ordered deportation when no charges or arrests had been made.
His attorneys are issuing three complaints 'Denuncia' against: The complaint requests that the paper prove the charges or, failing that, that the authors be charged with libel. Joe Nied, the contractor for the home site with the sanitation problems, won the contract with a lower bid to build the site. Oceana had also bid on the site. The only instance of mention of Peter's name was in the statement to the police by Joe Nied. Nied's statement to the police was that 500 dollars of building materials was damaged by a fire to the site, not that the house (which was not in existence) was burned down. Joe Nied has either left the country or is working at the Palmilla. Peter is not clear what his status or whereabouts are. The unfinished house (owned by the Roths of Lake Tahoe - Mr. Roth is a school principal, Mrs. Roth is a nurse) is up for sale. The house was not finished, the site was closed by the Health Department. A rival contractor James Killiam (Rictor) has been agitating against Oceana. He has contacted Oceana clients, sometimes during an on-site walk-through by Peter and his clients, and stated that his construction company (Rictor) can do the job cheaper and that he is 'the main contractor' at Zacatitos. He is currently out of the country and lives in Julian, California. Oceana has lost several contracting jobs because of the allegations printed by the Gringo Gazette. In one instance, he was told directly that the client was not going to work with them because of what was printed in the paper. Carrie Duncan (publisher of Gazette) has no work permit (FM3); she only has a tourist visa. Duncan lives in Long Beach where the paper is published, and has real-estate property in California (Long Beach, Palm Springs). Her printing company, Red Eye Printing, is based in Long Beach. (Exhibit: 15 ) Contact information for Peter McGonagle:
(Zacatitos - cel phone) Tel/fax/messages: 011 52 114 81048
US Mailing address: |