Multiple charges expected in elections investigation

EDINBURG -- Local authorities plan to file felony charges against multiple current and former Hidalgo County Elections Department employees within the next month.

The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office expects to forward the findings of its completed investigation to the Hidalgo County district attorney Wednesday.

"It's going to be a big deal," Sheriff Lupe Treviño said.

The sheriff's office started the three-month investigation in early February after a routine county audit raised red flags over the elections department's practices.

Treviño said the charges could include theft by a public servant, tampering with evidence, conspiracy, engaging in organized criminal activity and abuse of credit cards.

He would not specify how many people could be charged or who might be indicted.

Hidalgo County District Attorney Rene Guerra expects to present the case to a grand jury within the next month. The panel will then determine whether to indict anyone.

The Hidalgo County Election Commission unanimously voted in April to terminate Teresa Navarro as the county elections administrator, but none of the members of the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court called for an official vote on the matter, effectively keeping Navarro in her position.

State law requires a four-fifths vote of the election commission followed by a majority vote of the commissioners court to terminate the elections administrator.

The election commission oversees election fairness but not the logistics of running the department. Its members at the time of the vote were county Republican Party Chairman Hollis Rutledge, Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, county Democratic Party Chairman Juan Maldonado, County Clerk Arturo Guajardo Jr. and County Tax Assessor-Collector Armando Barrera Jr. Maldonado has since been succeeded by Dolly Elizondo.

The election commission said the county audit provided enough evidence that Navarro was not appropriately managing the department to justify removing her. The commissioners court disagreed, saying the audit did not name specific people involved in the possible misappropriation of funds and was concerned that the termination could prompt a lawsuit.
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Jackie Leatherman covers Hidalgo County government and general assignments at The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4424.