By Juan Montoya
Stuff, someone once said, flows downhill.
That maxim set us thinking.
Just two days ago during a plea hearing for Leonel Lopez Jr. — who served Rio Grande City as municipal judge and worked part-time for state Rep. Ryan Guillen — Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto “Bobby” Lopez Jr. described a convoluted bribery scheme that sought to steer $50 million worth of infrastructure contracts
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Investigation by the FBI and IRS resulted in an indictment charging Lopez Jr. with federal programs bribery. He pleaded guilty Friday. During the plea hearing, the AUSA described a sprawling conspiracy which Lopez apparently masterminded the bribery scheme and which involved corrupt engineers, attorneys and businessmen.
Leonel Lopez Jr. accepted more than $4 million from Company A, Company B and Company C, according to information discussed at the plea hearing. Leonel Lopez Jr. kept about $2.5 million.
He passed the remaining money to Individual A, Individual B and Individual C, who made payments to Weslaco City “Commissioner A” and Weslaco City “Commissioner B.”
Commissioner A is an attorney who served on the Weslaco City Commission from about 1995 to 2014, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez. Commissioner B is a current member of the Weslaco City Commission who was elected in 2009.
Both accepted bribes.
Leonel Lopez Jr. kept about $2.5 million for himself. As a condition of the plea, he agreed to forfeit that money.
“In exchange for the bribes, commissioners A and B voted in favor of infrastructure projects related to Weslaco’s water processing facilities and steered over $50 million in contracts to companies A, B and C,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez said. “Companies A and B then granted subcontracts to Company C.”
Leonel Lopez Jr. is scheduled for sentencing July 15. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
![Michael Vargas]()
![Orlando Lopez]()
As we said, stuff travels downhill and now San Benito Independent School District taxpayers are eyeing their own $40 million bond issue where the SBISD board majority controlled by Place 4 trustee Orlando "Papas" Lopez and includes board president Michael Vargas promptly hired Joseph Palacios projects manager to handle the bond money.
Palacios is a former Hidalgo County commissioner,.
San Benito voters of passed the bond issue November 6, 2018, that will allow San Benito CISD to build a state-of-the-art performing arts center, an aquatics center, and an indoor multipurpose athletic facility.
It is the Hidalgo County/San Benito ties that bind that has some city residents wary.
* Lopez, for example, works in Weslaco.
*And board president Vargas landed the plum position of City of Pharr Economic Development Corporation.
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* And the SBISD employee health insurance was handed to Yvonne Ortegon, who just happens to be married to new Hidalgo County commissioner David Fuentes. Why she doesn't use her maiden name in her business is left for you to figure out. She is vying for the new contract this year, too.
* Last year the SBISD had its fundraiser golf tournament was held the Tierra Santa Golf course at Weslaco. Ditto for this year, and if you had been present you'd have learned that Palacios contributed the first $25,000 from his own pocket. More where that came from?
Stuff, someone once said, flows downhill.
That maxim set us thinking.
Just two days ago during a plea hearing for Leonel Lopez Jr. — who served Rio Grande City as municipal judge and worked part-time for state Rep. Ryan Guillen — Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto “Bobby” Lopez Jr. described a convoluted bribery scheme that sought to steer $50 million worth of infrastructure contracts
Investigation by the FBI and IRS resulted in an indictment charging Lopez Jr. with federal programs bribery. He pleaded guilty Friday. During the plea hearing, the AUSA described a sprawling conspiracy which Lopez apparently masterminded the bribery scheme and which involved corrupt engineers, attorneys and businessmen.Leonel Lopez Jr. accepted more than $4 million from Company A, Company B and Company C, according to information discussed at the plea hearing. Leonel Lopez Jr. kept about $2.5 million.
He passed the remaining money to Individual A, Individual B and Individual C, who made payments to Weslaco City “Commissioner A” and Weslaco City “Commissioner B.”
Commissioner A is an attorney who served on the Weslaco City Commission from about 1995 to 2014, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez. Commissioner B is a current member of the Weslaco City Commission who was elected in 2009.
Both accepted bribes.
Leonel Lopez Jr. kept about $2.5 million for himself. As a condition of the plea, he agreed to forfeit that money.
“In exchange for the bribes, commissioners A and B voted in favor of infrastructure projects related to Weslaco’s water processing facilities and steered over $50 million in contracts to companies A, B and C,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez said. “Companies A and B then granted subcontracts to Company C.”
Leonel Lopez Jr. is scheduled for sentencing July 15. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
As we said, stuff travels downhill and now San Benito Independent School District taxpayers are eyeing their own $40 million bond issue where the SBISD board majority controlled by Place 4 trustee Orlando "Papas" Lopez and includes board president Michael Vargas promptly hired Joseph Palacios projects manager to handle the bond money.Palacios is a former Hidalgo County commissioner,.
San Benito voters of passed the bond issue November 6, 2018, that will allow San Benito CISD to build a state-of-the-art performing arts center, an aquatics center, and an indoor multipurpose athletic facility.
It is the Hidalgo County/San Benito ties that bind that has some city residents wary.
* Lopez, for example, works in Weslaco.
*And board president Vargas landed the plum position of City of Pharr Economic Development Corporation.
* And the SBISD employee health insurance was handed to Yvonne Ortegon, who just happens to be married to new Hidalgo County commissioner David Fuentes. Why she doesn't use her maiden name in her business is left for you to figure out. She is vying for the new contract this year, too.
* Last year the SBISD had its fundraiser golf tournament was held the Tierra Santa Golf course at Weslaco. Ditto for this year, and if you had been present you'd have learned that Palacios contributed the first $25,000 from his own pocket. More where that came from?
Has Hidalgo County hijacked the SBISD $40 million bond issue? Many people here are looking at these relationships between board members and Hidalgo County movers and shakers and can't help but have a gnawing, growing suspicion.