Former Eagle Pass City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr. set for jury trial 

Former Eagle Pass City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr. has been set for jury trial in United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 after Chavez plead not guilty to the federal charges of bribery involving a Maverick County public construction contract before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses on January 10, 2017.

Chavez is representing himself, pro se, in the federal criminal case in Del Rio, Texas. Chavez requested Judge Moses for permission to file a Motion to Dismiss the Indictment, arguing that the Indictment is defective in that there was no contract between Maverick County and the Engineering Firm mentioned in the indictment.  Chavez’s request was denied by Judge Moses as being late.

Judge Moses on several occasions advised Chavez that he should be represented by legal counsel to assist him with preparing for jury trial and defending him during trial, but Chavez declined every suggestion made by Judge Moses.

Chavez expressed skepticism of being represented by legal counsel and insisted he rather represent himself.

A status conference was scheduled in the case on January 24, 2017 and jury selection commencing on April 18, 2017 with a three day trial estimate.

Chavez is charged with four counts in his federal criminal indictment, including paying a bribe to a certain Maverick County Commissioner to secure a public construction contract of the Maverick County Solid Waste Authority, falsification of records in a federal investigation, obstruction of justice, and making a false statement to a federal agent.  Chavez denies the charges and entered a plea of not guilty.  An accused person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.