Elsa municipal judge accused of forging signature for loan

ELSA — The city’s municipal judge is being investigated for allegedly forging a signature to apply for a loan, authorities said.

Hilda Caceres, who is in the running for election as Hidalgo County Precinct 5 justice of the peace, is accused of forging a woman’s signature on an affidavit of identity, Sheriff Lupe Treviño said.

The two women share a piece of real estate Caceres used for property collateral for the loan, the sheriff said. Caceres allegedly forged the woman’s signature before a public notary to receive authorization for the loan.

“Our victim (was) unaware that all this has happened,” Treviño said. “That’s how the case was initiated.”

Treviño said the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the claim to “allow a second pair of eyes (to see) our work product.”

“I’m trying to protect the integrity of the sheriff’s office,” he said. “We want to be able to say the sheriff’s office does things the right way.”

District Attorney Rene Guerra’s office will decide whether to present Caceres’ case to a grand jury, the sheriff said.

Caceres could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.