FBI Arrests Nearly All of Texas Town’s City Officials for Bribes & Illegal Gambling
Crystal City, Texas' mayor and many other are facing federal charges.
KENS reports that the Crystal City mayor Ricardo Lopez, the mayor pro tempore Rogelio Mata, former councilman Gilbert Urrabazo and current councilman Roel Mata were all arrested.
Another man, Ngoc Tri Nguyen, who goes by the pseudonym "Mr. T," is being accused of being in charge of the illegal gambling ring.
According to the report, the officials took bribes from contractors, who received favorable city contracts in return. Nguyen apparently paid more that $12,000, and the city officials shut down his competitors.
Ironically, another city councilman, Marco Rodriquez, was just arrested last week for smuggling immigrants across the Mexican border.
So that leaves only one councilman left that hasn't been arrested: Joel Barajas. He has only been in office for nine months and apparently ran for office because he was suspicious that there was corruption in the city government. It seems like his suspicions were correct.
The officials could see up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
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