A Cameron County grand jury has indicted former Brownsville fire chief Carlos Elizondo on a charge of theft by a public servant and misapplication of fiduciary property.
A Cameron County grand jury has indicted former Brownsville fire chief Carlos Elizondo on a charge of theft by a public servant and misapplication of fiduciary property.
The grand jury handed down the indictment today, one day after he was arrested on the charges.
The indictment pertains to a theft by a public servant complaint that was filed against Elizondo in August by the Brownsville Firefighters Association.
In the complaint, it’s alleged that Elizondo made improper ATM cash withdrawals totaling $8,000 from the association’s political action committee while he was association president from January 2014 to 2016. He was not fire chief at the time the alleged theft occurred. The complaint was filed by Association President Jorge Lerma.
In an earlier interview, Elizondo denied the allegations and said the charges were filed against him for political reasons.
“ It’s politically driven,” Elizondo said at the time. “It’s a direct attack. He’s the union president. It’s a ploy to attack my credibility and discredit me and the whole department.”
According to Brownsville city officials, Elizondo has now been suspended without pay from the Brownsville Fired Department.
“The City of Brownsville has placed Brownsville Fire Department Fire Lieutenant Carlos Elizondo on suspension without pay effective immediately, following two felony charges: Theft by a Public Servant and Misapplication of Fiduciary Property. Due to the ongoing investigation surrounding Carlos Elizondo, the City of Brownsville refers all inquiries to the District Attorney’s Office,” the city said in a prepared statement.
