WAYNE DOLCEFINO
By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
The brother of San Benito Mayor Ricardo “Rick” Guerra was “cited” Tuesday evening for allegedly assaulting a reporter as the broadcast journalist was interviewing the Mayor and City Manager Fred Sandoval after a City Commissioners’ meeting.
The incident was caught on camera and witnessed by San Benito Chief of Police Mario Perea who was standing feet away when Guerra’s brother, Ramiro, who’s listed as Vice-Chair on the San Benito Housing Authority Board of Directors’ web page, is shown giving the 67-year-old Houston-based reporter, Wayne Dolcefino, a significant shove as the initiating contact is distinguishably audible on the video recording posted on social media.
Moments before the push, Dolcefino is seen interviewing the Mayor and Sandoval when he notices a male subject inching towards him from behind, recording the interaction on his cell phone. Visibly distracted and appearing annoyed by the encroaching Guerra, Dolcefino moves Guerra’s phone (hand) out of his, then quickly turns back to the Mayor and Sandoval to continue the interview when he’s shoved by the individual with the phone, later identified as Ramiro Guerra.
Chief Perea immediately steps between Dolcefino and Guerra to prevent further escalation as Dolcefino steps towards Guerra, pointing his finger at him saying that he’s pressing charges for assault. Ramiro Guerra, all the while, is shown on the recording repeatedly saying that Dolcefino “touched” him first. “He touched me first, he touched me first,” says Guerra.
The incident comes on the heels of a front page story published in last week’s edition of the NEWS where Mayor Guerra is quoted as physically threatening the investigative reporter. Dolcefino then responded to the Mayor and Commission during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s meeting, referring to the newspaper article during his monologue.
Earlier in the day, Dolcefino’s firm, Dolcefino Consulting, posted a new installment in what has become a series of video segments on various issues critical of the City stemming from an embattled deal with VARCO, a development company overseeing the construction and management of Resaca Village, a commercial development property off of Business 77 in San Benito.
The project, which was initiated in 2018, has yet to be completed, prompting the San Benito Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the governing entity that initially made the deal with VARCO, to ascertain control over the project. VARCO then sued the City/EDC to retain control, prompting the City/EDC to countersue for breach of contract.
VARCO maintains that the City/EDC is attempting to renege on a deal it made with the entities, adding that a little over a year ago late last Spring, the EDC board of directors, which has since been restructured, approved to provide VARCO with an extension for completing the project. The EDC/City now maintains that the VARCO has taken far too long to complete the project and is in violation of its contract with San Benito. As the Mayor told the NEWS in a prior interview, “This is simply a contractual dispute.”
The City is now attempting to legally force Dolcefino to disclose who hired him to conduct his investigation into the City, something the reporter said he will fight.
Meanwhile, Dolcefino’s latest video installment, posted on social media as well as on his firm’s YouTube Channel, and website, reveals some of the most disturbing allegations to date, specifically regarding another brother of the Mayor.
Regarding the pushing incident, according to Dolcefino, he did not know the identity of the alleged perpetrator until after the incident, figuring the man who turned out to be Ramiro Guerra was a random individual, adding that he was shoved so hard, he was nearly pushed off his feet.
On social media, the public has sparred no opinion about the incident with many wondering if Ramiro Guerra was actually arrested and booked on the charge or simply issued a citation and others wondering why Dolcefino wasn’t also cited for initiating contact with Guerra.
Attempts to contact Chief Perea for comment and clarification went unanswered as of deadline Thursday morning. The NEWS also attempted to contact Ramiro Guerra through the Mayor to no avail. The NEWS submitted an open records request for the police report and/or citation regarding this matter.
Chief Perea did however forward an email message to Dolcefino who asked for a copy of the citation and/or report. The Chief noted that, “Officer Griffin (the reporting officer) issued the citation and noted down the incorrect charge. He cited for Assault by Threat instead of Simple Assault. I spoke with the Court Director, and we are working on correcting the citation.”
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