Eagle Pass Ex-City Manager Chavez Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scheme

GRIMY TIMES: 68-year-old former Eagle Pass City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr., has copped to lying to FBI agents during their probe into a ‘pay-to-play’ scheme involving Maverick County contracts. The admission came this afternoon as United States Attorney Richard Durbin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, made the revelation.

Chavez faced Judge Alia Moses and pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent. He confessed to giving false statements on June 25, 2015, about his response to a grand jury subpoena, his role in Maverick County contracts, and a fraudulent consulting services agreement with an engineering firm.

Records show that Chavez was issued a subpoena on May 4, 2015, for all records of subcontracting work done for an engineering firm by Chace Management, his company. He falsely claimed to have created a hand-written agreement in response to the subpoena and received $24,000 for non-existent services.

Chavez, who is currently on bond awaiting sentencing, could face up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled at a later date.

This investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and the Customs and Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Griffin, Daniel Lee, and Todd Keagle are handling the prosecution for the government.