FBI Search Warrant Identifies “Target Suspects” in City of Laredo and Webb County Corruption Investigation

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

According to Laredo, Texas news reports, the FBI search warrant executed upon the City of Laredo City Hall, City Hall Annex, and Dannenbaum Engineering on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, identified “Target Suspects” in the ongoing corruption investigation regarding public contracts.

Among those listed as “Target Suspects” in the FBI search warrant include John Amaya, City Councilman District 8 Roberto Balli, James “Jim” Dannenbaum, President and CEO of Dannenbaum Engineering, City Councilman District 1 Rodolfo “Rudy” Gonzalez, Jr., former City Councilman District 4 Juan Narvaez, Juan “Johnny” Narvaez, Member of the Laredo Planning and Zoning Commission, City Manager Jesus “Chuy” Olivares, City Councilman District 3 Alex Perez, State Representative Richard Pena Raymond, City Councilman District 4 Alberto Torres, former City Councilman District 5 Roque Vela, Jr., Louis Jones of Dannenbaum Engineering, Oscar Michael “Mike” Garza of Dannenbaum Engineering, Maruca Morales, Claudia Alviso, and Daniel “Danny” Wyers.

No person or entity have been arrested and/or charged to date in the ongoing FBI corruption investigation of the City of Laredo and Webb County.

The FBI has made no comments regarding the ongoing corruption investigation concerning the City of Laredo and Webb County.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz stated that the FBI raid on City buildings and offices is an embarrassment for the City of Laredo and its citizens.  

Several individuals identified as “Target Subjects” have expressed their willingness to fully cooperate and work with the FBI on their current investigation because there is nothing to fear or unlawful done by them while serving the City of Laredo as public officials or employees.

The investigation appears to focus on public contracts received or done by Dannenbaum Engineering for the City of Laredo and Webb County as several of its offices in Laredo, San Antonio, McAllen, and Houston were raided by the FBI on April 26th.

The FBI search warrant requests for any documents related to City of Laredo or Webb County business and financial dealings with Dannenbaum Engineering, emails, computers, bank records, physical keys and locks, travel documents, income tax returns, and city policies and policies of other governmental agencies that uses their databases.

The loyal citizens of Laredo were stunned as news quickly spread throughout the community on Wednesday, April 26th, of the ongoing FBI raid on City Hall, City Hall Annex, and other public offices.  The FBI investigation continues and may take several months to review all the confiscated public records on April 26th.  The FBI is prohibited on making any comments on any ongoing investigation.