Maverick County Corruption Investigation by FBI & Texas Rangers dominates 2013 News
By: Jose G. Landa
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers ongoing investigation of corruption, bribery, bid-rigging, and illegal kick-backs in Maverick County, Texas has dominated the news during 2013 in this U.S.-Mexico border community, shocking the loyal and law-abiding citizens sense of honesty and integrity by publicly-elected officials, local government employees, business persons, and individuals. At least 28 persons have been indicted and arrested while at least 21 persons have already plead guilty or found guilty by a jury or judge to date as a result of the joint investigation by the FBI and Texas Rangers into the widespread corruption, bribery, bid-rigging, and illegal kick-back scheme in Maverick County during 2009 to 2012, and one person had their charges dismissed. According to the indictments, over $1.6 million in public funds have been involved. The joint investigation continues and more indictments are expected in the immediate future.
The flagrant violations of corruption, bribery, bid-rigging, and kick-backs alleged in both federal and state criminal indictments have shocked the conscience of Maverick Countians. The joint FBI and Texas Rangers investigation has already indicted and caused three former Maverick County Commissioners to plead guilty to at least one count of a federal indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas. Former Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 2 Rodolfo “Rudy” Bainet Heredia was indicted in two federal cases and later plead guilty on one count of bribery and remains detained without bond awaiting to be sentenced by a federal district judge. Former Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 1 Eliaz Maldonado also was indicted by a federal grand jury in one case and later plead guilty to one count of bribery and is out on bond awaiting to be sentenced. Former Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 4 Cesar Flores also was indicted by a federal grand jury and plead guilty to one count of bribery and is out on bond awaiting to be sentenced.
Two weeks ago, on November 20, 2013, three Eagle Pass businessmen were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases of participating in a bribery, bid-rigging, and kick-back scheme, including local surveyor and consultant Marcelo Alvarez, local contractor Saul Lombrana, and local news media publisher and director Alejandro Wheeler. Alvarez and Lombrana are out on bond awaiting trial of their cases while Wheeler has not been found and arrested.
Eagle Passans Jose Luis Aguilar and David Gelacio were indicted and arrested on October 18, 2012 by a federal grand jury and both have plead guilty with Gelacio receiving a 12 months sentence while Aguilar is detained without bond and awaiting sentencing.
Former Maverick County Auditor’s Office employee, Alejandra Rodriguez, was indicted by a federal grand jury of bribery and plead guilty.
Former Maverick County Precinct 1 Foreman Jaime Flores, local resident Joe M. Rodriguez, and former Maverick County Purchasing Agent Juan Carlos Moncada were indicted by a federal grand jury with Moncada being the only person to date to have his charges completely dismissed while Flores and Rodriguez plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Former Maverick County employee Eduardo Rene Rodriguez was also indicted by a federal grand jury and later plead guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Former Maverick County Juvenile Probation Officer and local contractor Javier Gonzalez also was indicted by a federal grand jury and later plead guilty to one count and is awaiting to be sentenced.
Local contractor Eduardo de la Garza was also indicted by a federal grand jury and later plead guilty to one count and is awaiting sentencing.
Local contractor Jose Telles, Jr. was also indicted by a federal grand jury and subsequently plead guilty to one count and is awaiting sentencing.
Former Maverick County Landfill General Manager Hector Daniel Chavez, Jr. was also indicted by a federal grand jury and later plead guilty to one count and is waiting to be sentenced.
San Antonio contractor German Garcia Cano was also indicted by a federal grand jury and his case is pending in federal district court in Del Rio, Texas.
Eagle Pass contractor Hipolito Amaya was also indicted by a federal grand jury and later plead guilty to one count and is awaiting to be sentenced.
Local contractor Salvador Castillon was also indicted by a federal grand jury and is scheduled to plead guilty this month.
Former Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Cesar Perez was indicted by a state district court grand jury of theft of funds by a public servant and went to trial and was found guilty by a Maverick County jury and was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment suspended by probation and is now appealing his conviction before the Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio, Texas.
Former Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 clerks Martha Zamarripa and Elisa Martinez were indicted by a state district court grand jury of theft of funds by a public servant and both plead no contest and were sentenced to probation.
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas was also a victim as five persons were indicted by a federal grand jury for theft of gasoline over $68,000 through the illegal use of the City Public Works fuelman gasoline cards. Indicted and pleading guilty in the City of Eagle Pass gasoline card fraud case are Edgar Aguilar, Rene Castillo, Elizabeth Vivian, Ricardo Hernandez-Espinoza, and Armando Ojeda-Nuncio.
Edgar Aguilar was sentenced to 42 months, Rene Castillo was sentenced to 30 months, Elizabeth Vivian was sentenced to 16 months, and Ricardo Hernandez-Espinoza and Armando Ojeda-Nuncio are awaiting sentencing.
Eagle Pass and Maverick County citizens have received a black-eye as the community’s reputation has spiraled downward and is often the subject of much discussion and jokes throughout the state and nationally. Local citizens are upset and tired of this widespread corruption in Maverick County and are demanding that local governmental entities implement tighter and more restrictive checks and balances to prevent future corruption and theft of public funds. Local citizens are also demanding that persons found guilty of corruption be punished according to the law and that persons with the highest integrity and honesty seek public office to reform the widespread corruption and reestablish this community’s reputation to the highest standards.
