Mexican child molester releases album from prison

Cynthia Leonor Garza:

Houston-based Dope House Records today plans to release the latest album for Latin rapper Carlos Coy, also known as South Park Mexican, who is currently imprisoned for molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2001.

When Devils Strike is Coy's first album release since he was sentenced to 45 years in prison four years ago.

"If people want to buy the record, well that's just a sad commentary that people are interested in what a child molester has to say," said Assistant District Attorney Denise Oncken. "He was convicted of it. The jury found that he abused a 9-year-old little girl."

Andy Kahan, Mayor Bill White's crime victims advocate, questioned whether Coy is capitalizing on his crime to make money.

"Is he using the ill-gotten notoriety or the infamy from being a convicted child molester to sell his songs?" he said. "It's American free-enterprise capitalism at its best or worst."

At the time of his conviction, prosecutors and the jury said the victim's testimony was the strongest evidence against Coy. Several other girls also testified that they had sexual relations with Coy while they were minors.

Efforts to reach Coy's victim's family for comment were unsuccessful.

Oncken said there is no way to stop Coy's family-run record company from operating.

Coy's record label recently released a free promotional 30-minute "snippets" album that sampled the music on his new CD, along with taped telephone conversations between Coy, calling collect from Harris County jail, and Dope House Records discussing the new album.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice policy prohibits inmates from using recording devices, said TDCJ spokeswoman Michelle Lyons.

"I would be very surprised if the album includes any material that was not previously recorded," Lyons said. Inmates do not have access to the Internet, and their phone time is limited. Coy is limited to one five-minute call every 90 days, she said.

"We do have some recording artists serving time in TDCJ," Lyons said. "Are they writing songs? Very possibly, but they don't have the ability to record."

Coy and family members who work at Dope House Records declined several requests for interviews. Coy and his brother, Arthur Coy Jr., launched Dope House Records in 1995.

The snippets album begins with a faux newscast claiming his innocence. The album also plants the idea that When Devils Strike contains material written and inexplicably recorded during Coy's incarceration.

Local rapper issues new CD while in prison for child molestation