Free Republic

CORPUS CHRISTI — Mauricio Celis’ expired reserve deputy credentials were part of the state’s efforts years before to clean its rosters of uncertified deputies, a state official testified Wednesday. Celis, 38, is being tried on a charge of impersonating a public servant, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and as much as a $10,000 fine. Prosecutors say he used a Duval County reserve deputy badge in 2007 after his law enforcement commission was suspended in 2003. Defense attorneys have said the badge was issued to Celis by former Duval County Sheriff Santiago Barrera and that...

CORPUS CHRISTI — A judge on Thursday went beyond a jury’s recommendation of probation for Mauricio Celis, sentencing him to a year in jail and restitution, likely about $1.35 million, as conditions of 10 years probation, pending Celis’ appeal. In February, a jury convicted Celis of 14 counts of falsely holding himself out as a lawyer. Visiting District Judge Mark Luitjen also set Celis’ appeal bond at $700,000, an amount Celis’ attorneys said was excessive and that they would appeal to the 13th Court of Appeals. Celis was taken to jail Thursday after the sentencing hearing because he did not...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An influential Democratic fundraiser and owner of a South Texas law firm presented himself as a lawyer despite no evidence of a state licence to practice law, a prosecution witness testified Tuesday. Mauricio Celis, a major Democratic fundraiser and contributor whose favored candidates include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, faces 23 counts of impersonating a lawyer. He is not licensed to practice law in the United States. His attorney, Tony Canales, told jurors during his opening statement Tuesday that he will show that his client was an attorney in Mexico and did not tell people he...

CORPUS CHRISTI — Businessman Mauricio Celis and lawyer Vance Owen reaped millions of dollars together from cases referred to other law firms, according to documents prosecutors filed in a money laundering case against Celis. A Caller-Times analysis of the documents shows that the Watts Law Firm, owned by lawyer Mikal Watts, wrote almost $2.4 million in checks to Owen in 2006 and 2007. Owen then split nearly all the checks evenly with Celis or his firm, CGT Law Group International, according to the documents. Neither Watts nor Owen are under investigation in connection with the Celis case, District Attorney Carlos...

CORPUS CHRISTI — Mauricio Celis hasn't been charged with a crime, but South Texas Democrats he supported are feeling pressure to distance themselves from the man under investigation on allegations of impersonating a lawyer and a peace officer. Celis has donated more than $415,000 since 2002 to Democratic political campaigns -- including to a judge who issued a restraining order at his request on short notice, and the former Nueces County sheriff he now employs. Those numbers don't include more than $36,000 donated to candidates by Celis' firm, CGT Law Group International. Three local state representatives last week donated...