Cameron County, Texas Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre, Jr. and three employees arrested for bribery

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

South Texas was rocked again with another corruption case against its public officials on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, as a multiple law enforcement agencies’ task force arrested Cameron County, Texas Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre, Jr. and three of his employees on charges of bribery, engaging in organized criminal activity, official oppression, and abuse of official capacity in Brownsville, Texas.

A multi-agency task force composed of Brownsville Police Department, FBI, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Cameron County District Attorney’s Office participated in the investigation and arrests.

Also arrested with Yzaguirre were Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector employees Pedro Garza, County Tax Investigator, Omar Sanchez-Paz, Dealer/Notary Supervisor, and Jose Mireles, Chief Lieutenant.

Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre, Jr.  was charged with four counts of bribery, a second degree felony; engaging in organized criminal activity, a first degree felony; and official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor.

Cameron County Tax  Investigator Pedro Garza was charged with bribery, engaging in organized criminal activity, and official oppression.

Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Office Dealer/Notary Supervisor Omar Sanchez-Paz was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and abuse of official capacity.

Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Office Chief Lieutenant Jose Mireles was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and official oppression.

The public corruption investigation was led by Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz together with the Brownsville Police Department, FBI, DEA, HSI, and District Attorney’s Office.

All persons accused of a criminal violation are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a Court at Law.