Former Kingsville Department of Public Safety Trooper, Michael Anthony Higgins, who was housed at Coastal Bend Detention in Robstown and awaiting a transfer to a federal facility after being sentenced last week to four years in prison, died early Thursday morning. Higgins was convicted of stealing money from Hispanic motorists.

Adan Munoz Jr., Texas Commission of Jail Standards Executive Director, confirmed the death of the 42-year-old man Thursday. The Nueces Medical Examiners Office confirmed Thursday afternoon they would perform an autopsy. No further information was provided except that the cause of death report could take as long as 60 days.

“I can confirm that we have a death in custody report submitted to us by the Coastal Bend Detention Center in Robstown,” Munoz said. He was pronounced dead at 7:32 a.m., Thursday, according to Munoz.

“It appears he experienced chest pains Wednesday night, and he was administered CPR; a call was made for emergency medical services and he was transferred to Calallen hospital,” Munoz said.

Higgins had been convicted in Jan. 13, 2010, in a federal court in Corpus Christi of depriving multiple motorists of their civil rights. He was convicted of violating federal law by willfully stealing money from motorists he stopped while working as a trooper, according to information provided by U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson and Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Right in January.

He was prosecuted for stopping motorists of Hispanic descent and stealing their money usually several $100 dollars. An undercover operation by the DPS and Texas Rangers began after a civilian complaint had been made. The undercover officer posing as an Hispanic man with limited English speaking ability was issued marked $100 bills and drove by Higgins duty area in Kleberg County.

Higgins stopped the man and asked for the money in his possession and then took the money behind the passenger side door of his patrol vehicle. After Higgins returned bills to the officer, the officer realized that some of the money was missing. DPS officers and Texas Rangers confronted Higgins after being caught. The inspection of the marked $100 bills were found in the passenger side door pocket where Higgins had gone to count the money.

He was sentenced April 20 and received the maximum time of four years and was ordered to make restitution.