It was – as family disputes often are – a contentious dispute over a debt that ended up in then-Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 2, Erin Garcia Hernandez's small claims court.
Styled 2013-GSC-000003, it pitted Jaime and Vanessa Mercado as plaintiffs against defendant Griselda Mercado.
They claim they met with Garcia and she asked them for $800 just to make sure that they prevailed in court in the case before her.
And we have learned that the Mercados, when the JP did not rule in their favor despite their bribe, they grew angry and went to the cops with their story. And an audio tape.
We reported before on this blog that Cameron County District Attorney Office investigators had called in employees of Erin's JP office in preparation for the prosecution of the bribery case against Vanessa Weaver (AKA Vanessa Mercado, Vanessa Weaver Mercado) (2014-DCR-02228) and Maria Vela Silguero (2014-DCR-02231).
The indictments handed down October 22 in both cases charge that these two women made cash payments to former JP clerk Liliana Cantu "for Justice of the Peace Erin Garcia, as consideration for the decision by the said Justice of the Peace Erin Garcia as a public servant, to wit: for a favorable disposition of a pending court case."
Further, Cantu – JP Garcia's clerk – is also charged in three other separate indictments charging her with making false entries in a government record to show that three defendants in JP court had completed their court-ordered community service hours (2014-DCR-2229).She is also charged with taking a cash payment from Mercado as consideration for a favorable decision from Erin Garcia in the pending judicial proceeding, to wit: pending civil court case numbers 2013-GSC-000003 and 2013-GSC-000002.
These two Weaver's cases are scheduled for trial Feb. 17, records show. Erin Garcia is not charged in the case, but if the existence of the audio tape is correct, it will take no small amount of legal contortion and justifications from DA Luis Saenz's office and his spin masters to explain why she has not been named in a bribery indictment.
"Weaver's (Mercado') husband was taping Erin when she asked for $800," said a source close to the case. "Her goose is cooked."
The cases involving Cantu allegedly acting on behalf of Garcia are nothing to sneeze at. They are second-degree felonies. The Texas Penal Code states that:
"Weaver's (Mercado') husband was taping Erin when she asked for $800," said a source close to the case. "Her goose is cooked."
The cases involving Cantu allegedly acting on behalf of Garcia are nothing to sneeze at. They are second-degree felonies. The Texas Penal Code states that:
Sec. 12.33. SECOND DEGREE FELONY PUNISHMENT. (a) An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for any term of not more than 20 years or less than 2 years.
(b) In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.
Now, as the Mercados prepare to go before the court to defend themselves against the charge that they bribed a public official, we will see whether the DA's Office will prosecute the bribers and not the public official who demanded the bribe.
Or will that office simply move to dismiss the case against Cantu and the Mercados to let Garcia off the hook?
Or will that office simply move to dismiss the case against Cantu and the Mercados to let Garcia off the hook?
7 comments:
Montoya, the question should be? Why is she still walking around? I am totally disappointed with the Cameron County District Attorney's Office and FBI for not following up or completing the corruption that was going on in this county. If its in the works, why is it taking so long? Your stories appear to have the necessary evidence that is needed to obtain warrants or get Indictments?
Put that in your sauce, Erin.
This can't be right, sources have got to be wrong. You want us to believe that Erin is on tape asking for a bribe and she's not indicted? This can't be true! Maybe it's the indicted clerk on tape; that's more believable.
It's not always the clerk,,, shit rolls down hill sometimes workers do as they are told without questioning the boss ,,, I'm sure there is lots more than just this one time , The clerk has spilled all the beans so stay tuned ,,
Stir the pot !!! Lol
What about the voter fraud case?
Why is it that these people won't be put away for their corrupt ways??? Her dad got off with a slapped on the hand and her dad's assistant Raul Salazar never set foot in jail, he's been seen at restaurants and department stores plus enjoying a brand new house how can he afford a brand new house, he doesn't even work!!! Cameron County is so corrupt that it stinks with so much corruption, you can't get a job because all their compadres that have no qualifications are getting the positions with higher pay and people like Raul Salazar, Ernie and Erin (corrupt people)some how or another will not set foot in jail how is it possible.
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