Convicted former DPS trooper dies in custody

Man had complained of shortness of breath, officials say
By Mary Ann Cavazos, Jaime Powell

ROBSTOWN, Texas — A former Department of Public Safety trooper sentenced last week to prison for stealing from Hispanic motorists, died at a Robstown private detention facility Thursday, state officials and the prison confirmed.

Michael Anthony Higgins, 42, complained of shortness of breath Wednesday night and died at 7:32 a.m. Thursday, according to Texas Commission on Jail Standards executive director Adan Muñoz.

Higgins was convicted in January of depriving several Hispanic motorists of their civil rights by stealing their money.

U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced him last week to four years in prison. He also had ordered Higgins to pay $850 restitution -- the amount he was convicted of having stolen -- and serve a year of supervised release after his prison time.

Higgins was accused of stopping motorists who appeared to be Hispanic and then stealing their money, usually in amounts of several hundred dollars.

The motorists complained, which prompted an undercover operation that led to his arrest last year. A federal grand jury indicted Higgins in April 2009 on four incidents from March, April and May of 2008.

His attorney Charles W. Cromwell said he hadn't been aware that Higgins had any health issues.

Cromwell added that as far as he knew Higgins hadn't planned to appeal.

"He was just going to settle in and do his time," he said.

An autopsy is pending, according to state and prison officials.

The state jail commission has asked for a death in custody notification form and several other documents, including an inmate screening form that was completed at intake and cell check logs, in relation to the incident, Muñoz said.