Maverick County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado indicted by federal grand jury
By: Jose G. Landa©
Maverick County Commissioner Precinct One Eliaz Maldonado has been indicted by a United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, grand jury on six counts on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, in Del Rio, Texas.
The federal criminal indictment alleges Maverick County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado as Precinct One County Commissioner entered into a scheme whereby he would receive financial compensation from private contractors who were awarded contracts by Maverick County on Precinct One construction projects.
Counts One through Four of the federal criminal indictment alleges County Commissioner Maldonado committed wire fraud when he received funds from four separate Maverick County checks issued to four separate contractors as part of his scheme to defraud Maverick County in violation of federal law.
Count Five and Six alleges
that County Commissioner Maldonado received bribes as an agent and employee of Maverick County by accepting monetary compensation intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with a transaction and a series of transactions of Maverick County worth at least $5,000 from a United States Department of Homeland Security Grant Program Operation Stonegarden in violation of federal law.
County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado presented himself in federal district court today, Thursday, December 6th 2012 for his initial appearance hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia. County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado was granted his conditional release after posting a $50,000 bond as ordered by Judge Garcia.
If convicted of these allegations in the federal criminal indictment, County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, five years of community supervision (probation), and a $100 special assessment on Counts One through Four, each; and on Counts Five and Six up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of community supervision, and a $100 special assessment, each.
Maverick County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado is the second county commissioner from Maverick County indicted and charged by a federal grand jury in Del Rio, Texas. Previously Maverick County Commissioner Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Heredia was indicted and charged with money laundering on October 17, 2013, and is currently detained without a bond awaiting trial.
A federal criminal indictment are allegations of a Defendant’s violation of federal laws. A Defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a trial before a judge or jury. A Defendant is presumed innocent unless he is found guilty of one or more of the criminal counts/allegations in the federal criminal indictment or enters a voluntary plea of guilty to one or more of the counts alleged on the indictment.
