VILLALOBOS, LUCIO INDICTED, ARRAIGNED IN CONNECTION WITH LIMAS CORRUPTION PROBE

By Juan Montoya
After months of rumors that Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos would be indicted by a federal grand jury investigating corruption and racketeering related to convicted former District 404th Judge Abel Limas, his attorneys and those of his former law partner Eddie Lucio have confirmed that both men have been arraigned before a federal magistrate.

His indictment and arraignment will doubtless have an impact on his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination for the newly-created District 34 congressional seat.

Villalobos had acknowledged the expected indictments when he held an unprecedented press conference by invitation only early today.

Surrounded by members of his staff and supporters, he told the invited media he expected the federal indictment sometime this week.

However, during an impromptu interview with Lucio before the federal courthouse, he said their attorneys were negotiating with federal prosecutors to avoid a circus atmosphere.

"We're trying to keep this civil," Lucio said. He added that Villalobos' defense team was trying to "work with the feds" to surrender at that time "to avoid being taken into custody" in front of his family.

Brownsville attorney John Blaylock, Lucio's attorney, said the grand jury indictments covered much more than the release of convicted murdered Amit Livingston in Limas' court.

Investigators are apparently homing in on Villalobos' role in a deal that allowed a convicted murderer to go free for 60 days "to put his affairs in order" on the condition that he put up a $500,000 cash bond.

The murderer, Amit Livingston has been on the run since 2007.

The feds apparently are trying to determine if the Livingston deal, to which no one in the D.A.'s office objected publicly, was an isolated incident and not an indicator of systemic corruption.
"It covers much more than that the Livingston case," said attorney Blaylock, who represents Eddie Lucio, Villalobos former law partner in Dallas. Lucio filed a parallel civil wrongful death suit against Livingston, attaching the bond money as settlement for the woman's death.
Shortly after the plea agreement was made , Limas divided the $500,000 cash bond between the woman’s children and Lucio, their lawyer.

Neither Villalobos nor his attorney Joel Androphy, of Houston, had comment on the court proceedings or the negotiations for the DA's arraignment as Villalobos walked toward the steps of the federal courthouse.
Even though the U.S. Attorney's Office had not issued formal charges yet Monday morning, Villalobos took the highly unusual step of saying that if and when such charges are issued, he would not take the indictment lying down. He maintained he is innocent of any criminal violations.
"I am innocent and prepared to fight the charges. I will not step down or quit the race for Congress," he told the selected media representatives. The Brownsville Herald protested the exclusion of its photographers and reporters citing violations of the First Amendment.

Limas and nine others have been indicted in federal court for their roles in a cash-for-court-favors scheme.

The Villalobos indictment is likely to throw a monkey wrench into his bid for the newly-created District 34.
Villalobos is among where eight Democrats vying for the seat in the May 29th primary election. Three Republicans are also competing for the seat.
Villalobos oversees more than 100 employees at the District Attorney’s Office. He officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress in December 2011.