For at least the third time attorneys representing the former president, CEO, and financial director for IES or International Education Services have filed paperwork stating they need more time to prepare for trial, federal court documents reflect.
New documents filed Monday state attorneys representing Ruben Gallegos Sr., Ruben Gallegos Jr., and Juan Jose Gonzalez continue to receive “discovery” from the federal government and “discovery in this matter is voluminous.”
Discovery is the process where both sides exchange information that will be used in the case.
Gallegos Sr., Gallegos Jr., along with Gonzalez, face theft and embezzlement charges that they are accused of committing during the time they worked and operated IES.
The trio were indicted on the charges in August 2022.
Count one of the indictment charges them with conspiracy. Count two charges them with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
According to the court filings, the attorneys representing the trio first received the first batch of discovery documents Nov. 1, 2022, and continue to receive additional discovery documents, “but defendants have not been provided with a date wherein they can expect to receive all discovery. Defendants respectfully request that the court continue this matter for 60 days.”
“This request will not work to the detriment of the defendants and is not done solely for purposes of delay, but that defendants receive the benefit of fully prepared counsel,” a portion of the filing reads.
Jury selection had been scheduled to begin March 6. It had previously been scheduled for Nov. 7, 2022 and Jan. 17.
Among the charges and according to a portion of the indictment, Gallegos Jr. was paid salaries way over the $183,000 cap limit with his 2017 salary at $435,416.88.
The indictment also states Gallegos Sr. was paid $506,032.22 and Gonzalez $377,060.96 — also in violation of the salary caps — but their names are redacted in the document.
The IES contracted with the Unaccompanied Alien Children Program and provided temporary shelter care and other related services to unaccompanied alien children, according to the federal indictment.
IES received almost all of its funding in the form of federal grants, and for each fiscal year from 2014 through 2018, it received millions of dollars in federal grant funds.
Gallegos Jr. served as CEO of IES from 2014 to 2018, Gallegos Sr. as president, and Gonzalez as finance director until the federal government decided it would not renew its funding for the IES shelter.
The United States Congress prohibited use of grant funds to pay salaries above a certain rate. In addition, federal regulations further limited spending of grant funds.
All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are out on bond.
