Posted on 04/09/2005 9:40:12 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
BROWNSVILLE — A federal judge has postponed Monday’s sentencing of former Willacy County commissioners Israel Tamez and Jose Jimenez amid an ongoing investigation expected to lead to further charges.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen reset the sentencing hearing to Aug. 25.
Tamez and Jimenez face as many as 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after they pleaded guilty to taking more than $10,000 in bribes in a $14.5 million federal prison project.
As part of a plea bargain struck in January, Tamez and Jimenez agreed to cooperate in the investigation in exchange for possible lighter sentences.
"Usually judges don’t want to sentence anybody during an ongoing investigation," Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra said.
In Willacy County’s small, tight knit farming community, many residents had anxiously awaited the sentencing of the two longtime politicos.
"It’s an emotional strain for those awaiting sentencing, but others in the community and in the workplace wonder when something is going to happen," Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence said.
The federal and state investigation is expected to lead to charges against at least one more local election official, authorities said.
"I would think the reason it would be postponed would be because it’s a continuing investigation and it’s hard to decide on punishment if you don’t know where it’s going to go — if there’s other parties involved and to what degree they’re involved," Guerra said.
Last month, the investigation led to the conviction of former Webb County Commissioner David Cortez, who pleaded guilty to funneling about $39,000 in bribes to "several" Willacy County commissioners.
Prosecutors charged an unnamed company gave Cortez cash that he funneled to Tamez and Jimenez in exchange for their support in hiring a consultant for the prison project.
"They’re probably trying to tie up loose ends and get everybody debriefed," Spence said about the sentencings’ postponement. "When you arrest someone you’re going to get as much as you can out of them and they want a lighter sentence."
Hanen had set Cortez’s sentencing hearing for June 28. But authorities speculated it will likely be pushed back.
By FERNANDO DEL VALLE fernandodv@valleystar.com 956-430-6278
South Texas Ping!
Please let me know if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Doesn't much matter which side of the border you are on down there. Same game both sides.
In S. Texas they post it on their income tax forms as additional income from outside sources.
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