Progreso school workers arrested on suspicion of abusing official capacity
PROGRESO — Five Progreso school district employees were arrested Wednesday on allegations that they used district property to repair a bar owned by their department head, a charge he absolutely denies.
On charges of abuse of official capacity, Texas Rangers investigators arrested:
>> Aurelio Perez Miranda, 51
>> Jose Blas Lara, 42
>> Juan Perez Alvarado, 51
>> Gerardo Rangel Jasso, 49
>> Salvador Maragarito Alcala, 51.
Authorities confirmed all five work for the district, with Miranda and Lara serving as a bus driver and maintenance worker, respectively.
Trooper Johnny Hernandez, a local Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman, confirmed the Texas Rangers were conducting an investigation into the five employees. He declined further comment, pending an ongoing investigation.
Attempts to obtain criminal complaints for the five suspects from DPS were unsuccessful. A public information request for the court documents remained pending Thursday afternoon.
While on district time, the men allegedly used district property to help fix the roof of the Board Room, a local bar and grill owned by Lupe Vela, district director of maintenance and transportation.
He is also the father of Progreso Mayor Omar Vela and Trustee Michael Vela.
Lupe Vela denied any of the district employees ever once did any construction or repair work on the Board Room.
"I think (investigators) know better than that," he said. "I think they were not on district time, and the (district) business office can confirm that."
He also suggested the investigation started from lies spread by political opponent Sarah Castillo, a former school board member.
"This thing is a kind of political thing," the maintenance and transportation director said. "Every year in Progreso, we win an election, they go to the (Federal Bureau of Investigation). We win an election, they go to the attorney general. This time, they went to the Texas Rangers."
Castillo admitted she had put in a complaint to investigators and insisted the five were inappropriately using their position and school property to repair the Board Room.
All five suspects were released from Hidalgo County Jail on Wednesday after $1,000 bail bonds for their class B misdemeanor charges.
If convicted, each could face up to six months in prison and fines of up to $2,000.
