RAYMONDVILLE — A preliminary hearing is set for a former Willacy County Sheriff’s deputy charged with falsifying a government record.
Former investigator John Reyes is scheduled to appear for a June hearing, Sheriff Larry Spence said yesterday.
Spence said the hearing was announced after Reyes’ attorney met with a visiting judge yesterday in 197th state District Court.
Carlos Masso, Reyes’ attorney, could not be reached for comment yesterday evening.
Reyes and former Sgt. Guillermo Salinas were scheduled to be arraigned on a charge of tampering with a government record, a second-degree felony.
But neither was arraigned, Spence said.
It appears the arraignments were waived.
“It’s not unusual,” Spence said, adding Reyes and Salinas each posted $15,000 bond after they turned themselves in to the sheriff’s department Friday.
The status of Salinas’ case was unclear yesterday evening.
On Feb. 27, a Willacy County grand jury indicted Salinas and Reyes on a charge of tampering with a government record, a second-degree felony.
The indictments came following a year-long Texas Rangers investigation into the possible theft of overtime paid through the Operation Stone Garden and Border Star grants, which pay officers overtime to work high-crime areas.
According to the indictments, Salinas and Reyes made a false entry into Operation Stone Garden grant’s daily activity report.
The indictments accuse the former deputies of “entering false information onto the government report requesting reimbursement for overtime that he did not work.”
The case marks the first time the department has had any problems with the grants, Spence said.
Spence said the grants have helped fund officers’ pay amid county budget cuts stemming from the closure of the Willacy County Correctional Center in February 2015.
Spence described the veteran lawmen as “good officers.”
Salinas, who had worked with the sheriff’s department for about 20 years, managed the two grants while serving as a sergeant, supervisor and investigator.
In March 2017, Salinas resigned to move to Colorado, where his wife was working.
Reyes, who had worked for the department for about15 years, was as a patrolman assigned to work as an investigator.
More than two weeks ago, Reyes resigned following knee surgery stemming from an injury last November.
15-year department veteran
Worked as an investigator
Resigned more than two weeks ago following knee injury
20-year department veteran
Managed Stone Garden and Border Star grants
Served as sergeant, supervisor and investigator
Resigned in March 2017 to move to Colorado
