(KWES) - Two Presidio County officials have been arrested on federal bribery related charges.
We're told Lorenzo Padilla Hernandez, 55, who is a county commissioner for Precinct 3 in Presidio County and Carlos Nieto, 65, Special Projects Coordinator for the City of Presidio and Presidio Independent School District trustee, were taken into custody.
The indictment charged Hernandez with two counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services.
Nieto has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services.
The indictment alleges that since August 2015, the defendants conspired to defraud Presidio County and its citizens of money by corruptly ensuring, through their positions and influence, that a particular company would be awarded a County contract for a document management system. The indictment further alleges that Hernandez and Nieto solicited and received $19,800 and $8,300, respectively, for their efforts. On May 9, 2017, Hernandez voted to award the contract to that particular company.
We're told all the charges, with the exception of the bribery charges, call for up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction. Each bribery charge calls for up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction.
Both defendants remain in federal custody. Initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge David Counts are scheduled for Friday at 10:30 a.m. in Midland. No other court dates are scheduled.
