Staff

-Eagle Pass

Ex-Chief of Police Juan Antonio Castañeda, informed The News Gram that he has hired legal counsel to defend him in his case against the City of Eagle Pass.  His attorney hails from San Antonio.

Castañeda was released from his position by City Manager Gloria Barrientos.

As he stated on the day after he was released, he has proceeded to prepare to face his ex-employers in a court of law as he disputes the justification behind his release.

He failed to give any more details as to how he will proceed after this.

Castañeda was a few months shy of completing his 20th year as Police Chief when he was given a letter of termination.

Moses Peña, Aldo Escamilla and Alejandro Guedea are presently in charge of the department.

The city has begun the process of seeking a replacement for Castañeda whose release comes at the same time the City of Eagle Pass is seeking a new City Manager and the Mayor finds himself in a race for another term in office.

A.D. Ibarra

-Del Rio, TX

     Many of those indicted by US Federal Court Western District of Texas will face The Honorable Alia Moses on April 9th at 9:00 A.M. to either set a court date or plead guilty of charges before them.

     Former County Commissioner of Precinct 2 Rodolfo Bainet Heredia, Jose Luis Aguilar and Juan Carlos Moncada were scheduled for hearings on Tuesday, March 12th all of which have been rescheduled and former County Commissioner Eliaz Maldonado and still County Commissioner of Precinct 4, Cesar Flores will both be before Judge Moses on that day as well.

     The Western District of Texas will be handling county business in one fell swoop on this day less than a month from today in what has been an unprecedented wave of indictments aimed at Eagle Pass and Maverick County by the FBI which extends as far as last week when Jose Telles, Jr., a local contractor was the last to be formally charged by federal authorities on Friday.

     Heredia, who is represented by Scott McCrum, will appear on April 9th for several counts including unlawfully accepting property of another and bribery involving federal programs after being initially charged with conspiracy to smuggle bulk cash into the United States.  He, along with Jose Luis Aguilar and David Gelacio have been in federal custody since October of last year.

     Maldonado, who faces charges for wire fraud and receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, was able to post bond and has most recently turned in his letter of resignation prompting the sudden replacement of his interim Javier Libson who was appointed by District Judge Dick Alcala, by Gerardo Morales, now acting County Commissioner of Precinct 1 after Alcala dissolved his appointment at a hearing this week when attorneys for County Judge David Saucedo were informed that a vacancy did not exist at the time Morales was initially sworn in March 4th.

     Flores, whose resignation is effective March 15th, will be before Judge Moses for unlawfully accepting property of another and receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.

     Also on the docket on April 9th will be Juan Carlos Moncada and Javier Gonzalez.  Moncada who is represented by Gregory Torres and James Nowlin is a former employee of the County Auditor's office.  Gonzalez, a local contractor,  faces charges of paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.

     Jose Luis Aguilar will know his fate earlier as his re-arraignment will be on March 27th.  Aguilar is represented by Tracy Lynn Spoor, a court appointed counsel.

Staff

-Eagle Pass

This Monday morning Maverick County Commissioner for Precinct 4, Cesar Flores made his official resignation effective this March 15.

Flores had anticipated earlier this year that he would step down to focus on his pending case in federal court in Del Rio, Texas where he is accused of receiving bribes from contractors.

The County Treasurer, Roberto Ruiz, said he received the letter of resignation, and mentioned that this topic need not be discussed in Commissioners Court, simply because Flores is voluntarily leaving office.

Cesar Flores spent almost 15 years in the post of Commissioner for Precinct 4 Maverick County.

Now it will be up to County Judge David Saucedo to appoint a person to replace him.

Flores is also an employee of the Eagle Pass School District but is currently suspended.

The name of the new commissioner could be announced as soon as this week or next.