William James Jonas III, Bribery and Kickback Scheme, Texas 2017

Del Rio, TX – In a shocking turn of events, 56-year-old William James Jonas, III, was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison for his role in a brazen bribery and kickback scheme that decimated the coffers of Crystal City, TX.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Jonas, the former City Attorney and City Manager, used his position to enrich himself and others by soliciting and accepting bribes from persons seeking to do business in Crystal City. The scheme, which lasted from May 2012 to February 2016, also involved the use of emails, texts, and phone calls to carry out the fraud and conceal information.

The scheme was uncovered after a federal jury convicted Jonas of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery involving federal programs, three substantive counts of bribery involving federal programs, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft of honest services, five substantive counts of wire fraud and theft of honest services, and four counts of wire fraud.

Apart from the prison term, U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered Jonas to pay $1,047,814.05 restitution to Crystal City and forfeit $17,291.73 to the Government. He will also be placed on supervised release for three years after completing his prison term.

“Today, Judge Moses imposed a just sentence for Mr. Jonas’s staggering betrayal of the public trust—a betrayal that left Crystal City nearly insolvent,” said U.S. Attorney John F. Bash. “But this was surely not an isolated incident. My office is committed to rooting out public corruption throughout Central and West Texas.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Rangers. “We would like to thank the San Antonio Police Department who were full partners in this investigation,” said Christopher Combs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Office. “Citizens deserve honest and faithful service from their public officials. Greed and self-interest have no place in public service.”

The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of public corruption and the importance of holding officials accountable for their actions. As the U.S. Attorney’s office continues to root out corruption in Central and West Texas, it is clear that those who betray the public trust will face serious consequences.

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