Former City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr. Denied Bond by Federal Judge
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
Eagle Pass former City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr. was denied bond according to an order issued on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 by United States Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia, Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas after a contested bond hearing held on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.
The United States government opposed the granting of a pre-trial release bond on Chavez at the May 3rd hearing despite several character witnesses who either testified or wrote a letter on behalf of Chavez.
The United States government presented Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent Monroe Geise of San Antonio, Texas to contest the granting of a bond. FBI Agent Monroe Geise has led the federal government’s investigation of bribery and corruption in Maverick County, Texas, which has resulted in over 30 people indicted and most have already plead guilty and have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alia Moses, Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division.
Chavez is currently detained at the Val Verde County Correctional Center-GEO in Del Rio and pursuant to Judge Victor Roberto Garcia’s order will remain there for the remainder of his case, unless a future court hearing and order is held.
Chavez was arrested by FBI Agents on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at his home in Eagle Pass as a result of a federal grand jury indictment charging him with four counts, including paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, falsification of records in a federal investigation, obstruction of justice, and making a false statement or representation to a federal agent.
Chavez’s arrest stems from the continuing joint investigation by the FBI and the Texas Rangers of widespread corruption and bribery in public contracting in Maverick County, Texas.
Chavez owned a business named Chace Management, which acted as a sub-contractor for a general contractor who obtained a $270,000 contract with the Maverick County Solid Waste Authority, also known as Maverick County Landfill, while working full-time as the City of Eagle Pass Public Works Director.
The federal grand jury indictment alleges that Chavez paid at least on four occasions during 2012 financial kickbacks of $5,000 each to a Maverick County Commissioner to to secure the landfill contract for the undisclosed general contractor whom Chavez worked for.
The indictment alleges that between August 20, 2014 and September 22, 2014, Chavez devised to create, and did in fact falsify and forge a professional services contract between Chavez’s Chace Management company and the undisclosed Contractor to conceal from law enforcement authorities the $20,000 kickbacks made in cash to a Maverick County Commissioner.
The indictment also alleges that on May 4, 2015, a federal Grand Jury subpoena to Chavez’s Chace Management for “any and all records regarding any subcontracting or consulting work done for, with, on behalf of, or in association with” the Contractor, and that Chavez provided in response to the subpoena forged and falsified records.
The indictment further alleges that on June 25, 2015, Chavez made material false oral representations to two federal law enforcement agents concerning the forged records Chavez produced subject to the subpoena.
If convicted, Chavez faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, three years of community supervision, a $100 special assessment, and restitution of monies unlawfully received.
A person charged and arrested under an indictment are presumed to be innocent and the indictment is not evidence of guilt. A person accused is innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law.
