Ex-Val Verde Commissioner Admits Tax Fraud

DEL RIO, TX – Former Val Verde County Precinct 1 Commissioner Ramiro V. Ramon, 64, admitted to dodging Uncle Sam today, entering a guilty plea to federal charges of underreporting income. The fall from grace for the long-time politician came in a Del Rio courtroom, signaling a reckoning for years of alleged financial misdeeds.

The announcement was made jointly by United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Cotter. Ramon pleaded guilty to three counts of false statements on Income Tax Returns before United States District Judge Alia Moses. The charges stem from income Ramon failed to disclose while managing a local real estate project known as “the Ranch.”

Court records detail a scheme dating back to 2005. As manager of “the Ranch,” Ramon allegedly accepted $47,000 from a San Antonio developer, $10,500 from a group of New Braunfels business owners, and $5,000 from a California businessman. Instead of reporting these payments, Ramon allegedly concealed the income on his electronically filed federal income tax returns for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012. The scheme allowed him to avoid paying taxes on nearly $63,000 in earnings.

Ramon, who served as Val Verde County Precinct 1 Commissioner from 2003 through January 2, 2017, now faces a potentially steep price for his alleged deception. Each of the three counts carries a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison. Beyond incarceration, Ramon will also be required to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, the amount of which will be determined at a later date.

The investigation, a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), paints a picture of a public official allegedly prioritizing personal gain over legal obligations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Hulings, William R. Harris, and Goran Krnaich are leading the prosecution, determined to hold Ramon accountable for his actions.

Ramon remains on bond, awaiting sentencing. No date has been set for his sentencing hearing, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the former commissioner and the Val Verde County community he once served. This case serves as a stark reminder that no one, regardless of position, is above the law – or the scrutiny of federal investigators.