PHOENIX, Arizona – Felipe Fuentes, 62, of Nogales, Arizona, pleaded guilty last week to his role in a lengthy bribery conspiracy that spanned most of his term as an elected county councilor in Santa Cruz County. . Fuentes pleaded guilty to a felony charge of Honest Services wire fraud with conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for August 2, 2022, before Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins.
According to Fuentes’ confession in connection with the judicial hearing, Fuentes and other co-conspirators were involved in a multi-year bribery scheme in which Fuentes received cash from large landlords in Santa Cruz County. In exchange, he admitted that as county assessor he had taken a variety of public acts that benefit landowners, including lowering the value of real estate owned by him and his business entity. In addition to the cash payment, the landowner also allowed Fuentes free use of a 17-acre ranch owned by one of his entities for multiple years, according to the deal, in the course of the bribery conspiracy. .
“Property taxes pay for critical local government services that support our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restino. “Fuentes abused his public trust when he undervalued his property and, in doing so, diverted money from Santa Cruz County for his own benefit.”
“Arizona citizens deserve a government free of corruption. The FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their positions of power and is committed to eradicating corruption and civil rights abuses in public service at all levels.” FBI Phoenix Field Office. “The FBI is continuing to investigate this case and if you have any information please offer it to the public.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the incident. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Division of the Federal Attorney’s Office in the Arizona District of Tucson handled the indictment.
Case number: CR-22-00824-TUC-RCC
Release number: 2022-049_Fuentes
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For more information about the Arizona District Attorney’s Office, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/.
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