Posted on 07/19/2005 1:51:55 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
The former director of the Kickapoo Indian health care program was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison for scheming to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the tribe.
Maricela Mendoza, 50, was convicted last year of money laundering and theft after a six-day trial in federal court. Evidence showed that she forged and cashed numerous tribal checks.
Testifying in her own defense, Mendoza admitted cashing the checks, but claimed the money was used for legitimate tribal purposes.
However, evidence showed that Mendoza converted most of the checks to cash at a Mr. Payroll in Eagle Pass, where her niece worked. A parade of trial witnesses testified that they never received the cash Mendoza claims to have given them.
The health program received about $1 million annually in federal funds.
Mendoza was the first of eight defendants to go to trial on charges of financial crimes related to the Kickapoo. The 500-member tribe operates the state's only casino, on a reservation outside Eagle Pass.
Among those indicted early this year were Isidro Garza Jr., the former tribal manager; his son Timoteo Garza, a former state representative from Eagle Pass; and Raul Garza, a Kickapoo who was the tribe's longtime chairman. Raul Garza is not related to the other two.
Also charged were Isidro Garza's wife, Marta, and his son Isidro Xavier Garza, who both worked for the tribe, as well as former tribal lawyer Joe Ruiz of Eagle Pass and former casino manager Lee Martin.
The seven face charges ranging from civil rights violations relating to a tribal election to using tribal funds for personal and political expenses to evading income tax.
All are free on bond. They are expected to go to trial next spring in federal court in Del Rio.
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jmaccormack@express-news.net
That's $2,000 per member. Maricela sure knew how to work the system! Your tax dollars at work!
All that money must have made the Kickapoo flush.
Kickapoo Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Kickapoo can be defined as: The process of swiftly applying your foot to a liberals rear end.
My dad and a neighbor used to make a hard pear cider that they called Kickapoo Joy Juice! We took it along on fishing trips. Those were the days, my friend!
That sounds good. My step-dad used to make Muscadine Wine. Talk about some good, yea.
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