MCALLEN, Texas — The recent conviction in U.S. federal court of two corrupt Mexican officials has sent shockwaves around the political elite in the border state of Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Last month, Ernesto Hernandez Montemayor, the director of aviation for Tamaulipas, pleaded guilty to criminal information accusing him of working with two unnamed U.S. citizens to over-bill the Tamaulipas government for the storage and maintenance of airplanes and then splitting the money. Hernandez’s payment went to his bank account at Lonestar National Bank, opening the door for U.S. Homeland Security Investigations to take on the case.
Hernandez ended up pleading guilty to the charge before U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett in Houston. The former corrupt politician remains remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until his sentencing hearing set for July.
In November, Breitbart Texas reported on the arrest of Cindy Gabriela Apac, a political player from the border city of Reynosa who at the time was charged with money laundering. Apac was ended up pleading guilty to one of the charges in December and is now expected to be sentenced in February.
Both Hernandez Montemayor and Apac have pleaded guilty to their crimes as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Generally plea agreements are part of a tool used by prosecutors where they recommend that an individual receive a lower sentence for their crime in exchange for their cooperation in other government investigations.
As part of her plea agreement, Apac admitted to having been responsible for fraudulent activity tied to at least $779,980, court records obtained by Breitbart Texas revealed.
Breitbart Texas has consulted with various Tamaulipas government officials who have stated that rumors have been floating around the inner circles within the political elite who fear the possible information that the two suspects could be providing to federal investigators. Apac and Hernandez are linked to former Tamaulipas governor Eugenio Hernandez who is currently a fugitive of the U.S. Department of Justice on money laundering charges.
As previously reported by Breitbart Texas, U.S. federal authorities have been going after Mexican politicians that have been accused of funneling cartel or bribe money into the United States.
In addition to Eugenio Hernandez, authorities have also gone after former Tamaulipas governor Tomas Yarrington and former Matamoros mayor Erick Silva Santos.
Tamaulipas Director of Aviation
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
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