Maverick County Officials Sued by The Quemado Public Library, Inc. in Federal Court
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025
The Quemado Public Library, Inc., a non-profit corporation in the State of Texas, and its Board of Directors, Guadalupe Martin, President, Ricardo Flores, Vice-President, and Carol T. Martin, Secretary-Treasurer, filed a lawsuit against Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, County Commissioners Rossana Rios, Olga M. Ramos, and Roberto Ruiz, Maverick County Attorney J. A. Iracheta, Maverick County Treasurer Rito Valdez, III, former Maverick County Auditor Raul Trevino, and former Treasurer Anita Alarcon Mancha on June 13, 2025 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas, alleging the Maverick County officials and Anita Alarcon Mancha violated their constitutional rights, due process rights, and Section 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code for unlawfully taking $18,591.78 in funds belonging to the non-profit corporation, closing out their United States Postal Box, and corporate and bank records on or about June 22, 2023.
Plaintiffs are pro se and seeking a temporary injunction against all Defendants, return of all monies ($18,591.78) taken plus 8% interest thereon, all documents, records, safe, bank statements, and property belonging to The Quemado Public Library, Inc.
Maverick County Officials in the federal lawsuit are represented by the San Antonio, Texas defense law firm of Denton, Navarro, Rodriguez, Bernal, Santee, & Zech, P. C. while Defendant Anita Alarcon Mancha is pro se.
The Quemado Public Library, Inc.’s original petition alleges that on June 12, 2023, Maverick County Commissioner’s Court held a public meeting and went into Executive Session to discuss Agenda Item No. 42, No. 1 titled “Executive Session on matters pursuant to 551.071: Discussion with Attorney: Discussion and appropriate action regarding the Quemado Advisory Board,” an agenda item placed by County Commissioner Precinct 3 Olga M. Ramos.
The Plaintiffs’ petition further alleges that “During Executive Session, a motion was duly made by Commissioner Ramos, seconded by Commissioner Ruiz and unanimously carried to move forward and to create a Quemado Advisory Board and start selecting the members of the Board, at the same time dissolve any existing Board that are currently present pertaining to County property and to direct Legal to proceed as discussed in Executive Session.”
Pursuant to Maverick County Commissioners Court action taken on June 12, 2023, County Attorney Iracheta drafted and had delivered a demand letter to The Quemado Public Library Board members by and through Jessica Beltran, the Quemado Public Librarian and paid with funds from the non-profit corporation, advising them that “Maverick County Commissioners Court on June 12, 2023, has decided to dissolve your current Board that has been handling County assets based out of Quemado, Texas and assign these County assets to a new Quemado Board….You are to turn over all Maverick County property in your possession and provide a detailed inventory along with any and all keys to the Maverick County Attorney’s Office. Any monies held by your organization shall be paid to the order of Maverick County and delivered to the County Attorney’s office along with a copy of all bank statements going back to at least a year. All collections, decision making or actions, other than what described in this notice, is not authorized and shall cease immediately.”
Plaintiffs’ petition further alleges that their non-profit organization’s treasurer, Anita Alarcon Mancha, without The Quemado Public Library Board, Inc. holding a board meeting, issued two checks and turned over all bank funds and cash monies totaling $18,591.78 to the Maverick County. Plaintiffs allege that these funds were “raised through fund raisers by The Quemado Public Library Board, Inc. Board of Directors and members and did not belong to Maverick County at all.” The petition alleges that Mancha also “handed over to Maverick County officials all The Quemado Public Library Board, Inc. documents, including financial accounts, bank records, funds, checks, credit cards, and keys to the safe located at the library, as well as documents containing the names of donors to the Corporation.”
Plaintiffs petition alleges The Quemado Public Library, Inc. Board of Directors “have not had any explanation as to why the Maverick County Commissioners Court took such action, nor have they explained with what legal authority the Corporation members and Board of Directors were threatened to release the Corporation assets,…”
Plaintiffs allege they sent a demand letter to Defendants on May 3, 2024, requesting the return of their “$17,509 plus 8% interest and $10,000 in damages incurred by non-profit corporation’s Board of Directors for violation of their right to exist as a legal corporation.
Plaintiffs further allege that their non-profit organization’s United States Postal Box at the Quemado, Texas Post Office was “closed and canceled by order of Maverick County Attorney J. A. Iracheta.”
Defendants have yet to file a responsive pleading (answer) to Plaintiffs’ lawsuit, but generally file a denial of the claims together with any defenses and claims they may be entitled to at law or in equity.
Plaintiffs seek a temporary injunction against Defendants, return of their funds with 8% interest, $50,000 in punitive and exemplary damages, and $50,000 to the non-profit corporation’s Board of Directors, reasonable attorney’s fees should they hire or have one appointed to represent them, and court costs and expenses.
The federal lawsuit has been assigned to Chief U. S. District Judge Alia Moses and referred to U. S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Watters in the Del Rio Division of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The case remains pending as of press time.
