REFUGIO COUNTY, Texas —
Five current and former Refugio town officials have been arrested on felony charges this week after a grand jury handed down indictments Tuesday in an investigation led by the Texas Rangers.
Mayor Pro Tem Ixtlazihuatl "Lala" Vasquez and former council members Michael Rocha and Frank Hosey turned themselves in to the Texas Rangers at the Refugio County Jail on Thursday morning. All three are charged with abuse of official capacity, a third-degree felony. The charge accuses a public servant of misusing government money or resources worth between $30,000 and $150,000 for personal benefit or to defraud others.
Rocha and Hosey lost their council seats in the May election.
As KRIS 6 News previously reported, Mayor Wanda Dukes and City Secretary Callie Shreckengost turned themselves in to the Texas Rangers at the Refugio County Jail on Wednesday and were later released. Both are charged with misapplication of fiduciary property, a first-degree felony. The charge means someone entrusted with managing money or financial assets is accused of misusing at least $300,000.
City Attorney Thomas Gwosdz previously told KRIS 6 the city is aware of the indictments and is working to protect public resources.
"We want to make it clear that the city believes in the principle of innocent until proven guilty and that we're not drawing any conclusions about the indictments that were delivered today," Gwosdz said.
Gwosdz said the city has called a special meeting for next Tuesday night "in order to take any steps necessary to preserve the city resources."
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