Crystal City, TX City Manager and Mayor Federal Bribery Case Goes To Trial On Monday, June 19th

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

Crystal City, Texas City Manager and City Attorney William James Jonas, III, age 54, and Mayor Ricardo Lopez, age 40, federal criminal case alleging conspiracy to commit bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, theft of honest services, and wire fraud will go to trial before a jury on Monday, June 19, 2017, at 9:30 A.M. before United States District Judge Alia Moses of the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas.  The jury trial is scheduled to last up to two weeks.

City Manager William James Jonas, III and Mayor Ricardo Lopez were indicted in February of 2016 by a federal grand jury together with Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata, Councilman Roel Mata, Councilman Gilberto Urrabazo, and businessman Ngoc Tri Nguyen.

Four of the six defendants have pleaded guilty except Jonas and Lopez.  Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata and his brother, Councilman Roel Mata, Councilman Gilberto Urrabazo, and businessman Ngoc Tri Nguyen have plead guilty in the case.

City Manager Jonas is charged with a total of 14 counts while Mayor Lopez is charged with seven counts.

Jonas and Lopez face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy to commit bribery charge, up to ten years in federal prison for each of the bribery-related charges, and up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the wire fraud-related charges.

The superceding indictment alleges that Jonas and Lopez during May 2012 through February 2016 used their official positions to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting bribes from persons seeking to do business with the City of Crystal City.

Jonas and Lopez deny the allegations in the superceding indictment and have plead not guilty.  All accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Jonas is represented by attorney Rogelio M. Munoz, Jr. of Uvalde, Texas and Lopez is represented by Joseph Cordova of the Federal Public Defenders of the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas.