Maverick County Commissioner Jose Luis Rosales’ federal criminal case continued to November 3rd
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015
Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 3 Jose Luis Rosales’ pending federal criminal case was continued to November 3, 2015 for Docket Call and Rearraignment by U. S. District Judge Alia Moses on Tuesday, October 13, 2015. Rosales was indicted on four counts for receiving bribes by a federal grand jury on February 2015 involving an alleged bribery, kick-back and bid-rigging scheme of public construction contracts of Maverick County, Texas during 2011-2012.
Judge Moses admonished Rosales and his attorney, Rogelio Martin Munoz, Jr. of Uvalde, Texas, that this would be the last continuance she would grant them in the pending federal criminal case.
Rosales is one of four Maverick County Commissioners indicted by federal grand juries for bribery, kick-back and bid-rigging scheme involving Maverick County construction contracts. Commissioners Rudy Heredia, Cesar Flores, and Eliaz Maldonado have already plead guilty and sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison. Only Rosales has not yet plead or gone to trial. Rosales is out on bond and remains a Maverick County Commissioner for Precinct 3.
The indictment alleges that in 2011 and 2012, Rosales manipulated the bidding process to guarantee that he person or contractor he selected would be awarded the Maverick County construction contract.
The indictment further alleges that the contractors submitted inflated bids to Maverick County to ensure that they would make money to pay for the construction work, make a profit, and pay a bribe to Rosales.
The indictment also alleges that the contractors would deposit the Maverick County checks issued to them and then made cash payments to Rosales.
If convicted, Rosales faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count, a fine, restitution, and community supervision.
An indictment is not evidence of an individual’s guilt. An accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
At the November 3, 2015, court hearing, Rosales will have to publicly announce to Judge Moses if he plans to plead guilty or not guilty and request a trial on the merits.
