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The mayor pro-tem and city manager for Edcouch have been arrested on federal public corruption charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced the arrests of Victor De La Cruz, 40, and Rene Flores, 60, in a Thursday news release.
The men are scheduled for an initial appearance in McAllen federal court Friday morning.
The men were indicted on Sept. 2.
The indictment alleges that from June to September 2019, De La Cruz, who was city manager, and Flores, the mayor pro-tem, solicited bribes from a Brownsville marketing business.
“The business owner allegedly received two separate $3000 payments for marketing work he was allegedly performing for the city of Edcouch,” the release stated. “In return, he made two $1000 kickback payments to Flores, according to the charges.”
They are charged with conspiracy, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and use of a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of bribery.
“Defendants De La Cruz and Flores sought to use their positions as officials in Edcouch to obtain money from a private company and private individual in exchange for assistance in obtaining a contract, business agreement, project, or work assignment with Edcouch,” the indictment stated.
The public officials agreed with “Person 1” that Edcouch would pay “Business A” for marketing work for Edcouch and that in exchange “Person 1” would pay Flores kickbacks, according to the indictment.
“Under this agreement, Edcouch made two payments to Business A. In return, Person 1 paid two kickbacks to Flores,” the indictment stated.
The alleged scheme followed a July 9, 2019 meeting between De La Cruz, Flores and “Person 1.”
Two days later, on July 11, 2019, Edcouch issued a $3,000 check to “Business A,” according to the indictment.
Then, on July 23, 2019, “Person 1” met with De La Cruz and Flores and provided Flores with $1,000 according to the indictment, which goes on to say that on Sept. 12, 2019, Edcouch issued another $3,000 check to “Business A.”
“On or about September 24, 2019, Person 1 met with De La Cruz and Flores and paid $1000 to Flores,” the indictment stated.
Federal prosecutors are also seeking the forfeiture of any proceeds derived from the alleged offenses and monetary judgments should the men be convicted.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information from the indictment.
Here’s the latest update:
Edcouch officials accused of public corruption appear in court
