United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced today that 51-year-old Raymond Telles, of El Paso, Texas, was charged by Information with two counts of Conspiracy to commit Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud and the Deprivation of Honest Services.
Appearing in federal court this afternoon, Mr. Telles pleaded guilty to the charges contained in the Information.
By pleading guilty to count one, Telles admitted to conspiring with others to devise a scheme to defraud the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) and the citizens of El Paso living in the SISD of the right to honest services of elected SISD Trustees in the affairs of the SISD. It further alleges that the defendant attempted to bribe the elected Trustees of SISD, in exchange for their support and vote in their official capacity as SISD Trustees, in violation of their fiduciary duty as elected SISD Trustees, for agreements between SISD and vendors seeking business with the SISD.
By pleading guilty to count two, Telles admitted to conspiring with others to devise a scheme to defraud the County of El Paso and the citizens of the County of El Paso of the right to the honest services of elected members of the El Paso County Commissioner’s Court, in the affairs of El Paso County by also attempting to bribe members of the El Paso County Commissioner’s Court for their support and vote in their official capacity as members of the El Paso County Commissioner’s Court. Telles faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine per count.
No sentencing date has been scheduled. This is an ongoing investigation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted for the government by Assistant United States Attorney Debra Kanof.
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Background
The public corruption case is very complex and involves the legal, political and business communities of El Paso. Newspaper Tree presents stories, primary documents and some reading about public corruption cases elsewhere to provide a little context.
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Officials in the county and the EPISD have pleaded guilty, and businessmen who have pleaded guilty thus far have implicated the El Paso Community College and the Socorro School District. The first three guilty pleas, filed in the form of a document called an "information":
--- Betti Flores
Here are the NPT stories regarding the guilty pleas:
-- Travis Ketner, June 8, 2007
-- Betti Flores, July 7, 2007
-- Bernardo Lucero, Aug. 17, 2007
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Some of the other court action revolves around efforts to disqualify one lawyer, and efforts by another lawyer to disqualify the judge hearing the cases:
-- Lawyer Martie Jobe has filed a lawsuit against Travis Ketner, claiming he defamed her in his guilty plea. Then she tried to force recusal of District Judge Frank Montalvo, who is hearing the public corruption cases. [Aug. 7, 2007, Jobe argument]
[Aug. 10, 2007, decision on the issue]
-- Montalvo disqualified lawyer Mary Stillinger from representing three clients who were called targets. They were Ysleta school district Trustee Mickey Duntley, El Paso school district trustee Charles Roark, and NCED Chief Operating Officer Ernie Lopez. [July 27, 2007, disqualification]
[Aug. 8, 2007, clarification of issues]
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NPT stories on various events and issues:
-- May 16, 2007, FBI raids county
-- June 14, 2007, FBI focuses on district clerk
-- May 18, 2007, explanation of search warrant process
-- June 29, 2007, business as (mostly) usual in the County Courthouse
-- Aug. 10, 2007, interview with District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez
-- Aug. 21, 2007, interview with FBI SAC Manuel Mora
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Public corruption is prevalent in the United States, most often appearing in the news in relation to local politics. Some stories to provide context:
-- Christian Science Monitor writing in 2005 about Chicago
-- Wikipedia page on Orlando politician Ernest Page
-- Times-Picayune 2007 story about New Orleans
-- American Heritage magazine history of New York City corruption
-- Memphis Commercial Appeal writing in 2007 about a "culture of corruption" in Memphis
Joe Olvera
March 14, 2008
Raymond, Raymond, Raymond - how greedy can one person get. You had it all, Raymond. Remember when you had $250,000 in your campaign war chest to run for Mayor. Carlos Ramirez only had $30,000, yet, he beat you, Raymond.
You worked for your dad and you probably earned a great living. After he died, I'm sure you received a substantial amount of money from your father's estate. Yet, that wasn't enouugh for you, Raymond? Man, here I am struggling to pay my bills and it is a struggle because the U.S. economy is in the toilet. But, you know what, Raymond? I can sleep at night peacefully because my hands weren't in the mud. Sure, I might lose my house, my car and my credit is shot all to hell. But, again, Raymond, honesty is the best policy. What did your father tell me when I ran his campaign for City Rep. in 1987? He said that I had lost my campaign for Mayor in 1985 because I was "too honest." I told your dad, "man, what an indictment on our society, that a person cannot win an election because he's too honest. If that's the case," I told Richie, "I'll never win an election because I'm not going to change. Raymond, que paso con tigo?
You were such a fine young man, at least we thought you were. You were sophisticated, strong, intelligent and you emulated your father's business practices. But, to what ends? Your father was considered a "Slumlord," and I suppose he was. Yet, his heart was in the right place. At least, he thought it was. He used to tell me that if he fixed his buildings, he would be forced to raise the rent and that most of those people just couldn't afford to pay more. Strangely enough, I believed him.
Raymond, your dad must be turning over in his grave. Que verguenza, Raymond. And, your uncle the Ambassador? How does he feel? Raymond, te salistes, vato. Que desmadre.
Joe Olvera
El Sin Fin
Ken G
March 14, 2008
Another one bites the dust
BARRY COLEMAN
March 15, 2008
IT IS SO SAD...AS HE SEEMED SUCH A FINE AND SUCCESSFUL MAN
Troy
March 15, 2008
We all reap what we sow.
S R
March 18, 2008
How sad! You did so much to get through law school. Your family stood by you, as did your friends. We can only hope that by having plead guilty, the Bigger Fish will fry! As for the County Commissioner who took part in this, humn let me guess? Could it possibly be one that did not run for re-election? And might a close buddy from the lower valley be a co-conspirator? Humn, we'll have to stand by and see how all this develops. Hopefully, this mess will soon come to an end. Defrauding the people of SISD, and the students, even worse. Our prayers are with your family.
Ken G
March 19, 2008
I was saddened by Mr. Telles confession. I was sad vicariously. Telles was criticezed for his lack of formal education when he ran for Mayor. I was proud to see a local poliition get not only his degree at UTEP then go beyond and get a law degree. Then he succombed to local corruption. Local contracts, particularly those involving bond issues are lucrative and invite corruption. Follow the money.