After an in-chambers hearing Monday between Brownsville Independent School District board member Dr. Sylvia Atkinson, her lawyers, and United States Attorneys before a federal judge, she has asserted that she will be "be voluntarily abstaining from attending and participating in board meetings as well as any district sponsored event until my legal matter is resolved in February 2020."
In her statement widely posted on social media, Atkinson - facing an eight-count indictment for conspiracy and bribery - said she was acting "upon the advice of my legal counsel." She posted the message on her Facebook page as well.
Atkinson sent an identical email informing her fellow BISD board members that "while the court has confirmed that I may continue to participate, I do not want to detract from a successful close of the Fall semester or successful opening of the Spring semester."
She did not specify how the court had "confirmed" that she could participate in district affairs nor did her lawyers.
A local attorney commented that by communicating with the full board and board counsel her actions may have constituted a "walking" quorum.
Atkinson is also the executive director of High School Programs and Community Outreach at Texas Southmost College and was released on a $50,000 bond agreement following an arraignment hearing held last week. Sources say she has been suspended with pay following her arrest at the campus.
The court appearance was not listed on the public docket and came after both a sealed event and sealed order were entered into the court records late last week.
She copied her message to all the board members as well as to her attorneys - Noe Garza and Dale Robertson - and encouraged them to inform the news media of her announcement.
She did not specify how the court had "confirmed" that she could participate in district affairs nor did her lawyers.
A local attorney commented that by communicating with the full board and board counsel her actions may have constituted a "walking" quorum.
Atkinson is also the executive director of High School Programs and Community Outreach at Texas Southmost College and was released on a $50,000 bond agreement following an arraignment hearing held last week. Sources say she has been suspended with pay following her arrest at the campus.
The court appearance was not listed on the public docket and came after both a sealed event and sealed order were entered into the court records late last week.
She copied her message to all the board members as well as to her attorneys - Noe Garza and Dale Robertson - and encouraged them to inform the news media of her announcement.
The federal government had submitted a sealed order for federal Judge Fernando Rodriguez that was not made public but was considered in his chambers while the news media representatives were awaiting for the hearing to be held in U.S. Magistrate Ronald Morgan's court.
The indictment handed down by a federal grand jury prior to Atkinson’s arrest on Tuesday evening alleges she both solicited and accepted a $10,000 bribe from an undercover FBI agent posing as an employee of Pink Ape Media, an advertising and film production company based in Brownsville.
She was accused of accepting payments of $4,000 and $6,000 from the undercover agent in order to place the company’s film production proposal on the school board’s Feb. 12 meeting agenda for potential approval. The proposal was approved unanimously with Atkinson urging her fellow board members for its approval.
A copy of the meeting’s agenda featuring the proposal included a letter signed by the company’s Chief Creative Officer Rodrigo Moreno, addressed to BISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Sylvia R. Hatton.
Judge Rolando Olvera had first been assigned to the case but recused himself from her case without explanation. However, given the long relationship between local families, local attorneys were not surprised. It is well known that Olvera's wife - also a BISD teacher - acted as Atkinson's Realtor when she sold her house recently.'
Morgan specified during Atkinson’s arraignment that she was to refrain from contact with any victims, co-conspirators and co-defendants related to the eight-count indictment brought against her on conspiracy, bribery and one charge alleging a violations of the Travel Act.
The indictment handed down by a federal grand jury prior to Atkinson’s arrest on Tuesday evening alleges she both solicited and accepted a $10,000 bribe from an undercover FBI agent posing as an employee of Pink Ape Media, an advertising and film production company based in Brownsville.
She was accused of accepting payments of $4,000 and $6,000 from the undercover agent in order to place the company’s film production proposal on the school board’s Feb. 12 meeting agenda for potential approval. The proposal was approved unanimously with Atkinson urging her fellow board members for its approval.
A copy of the meeting’s agenda featuring the proposal included a letter signed by the company’s Chief Creative Officer Rodrigo Moreno, addressed to BISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Sylvia R. Hatton.
Judge Rolando Olvera had first been assigned to the case but recused himself from her case without explanation. However, given the long relationship between local families, local attorneys were not surprised. It is well known that Olvera's wife - also a BISD teacher - acted as Atkinson's Realtor when she sold her house recently.'
Morgan specified during Atkinson’s arraignment that she was to refrain from contact with any victims, co-conspirators and co-defendants related to the eight-count indictment brought against her on conspiracy, bribery and one charge alleging a violations of the Travel Act.
After her indictment and arrest, Atkinson attended a groundbreaking at Hanna High School after Morgan had warned her to stay away from places where she could come into contact with them.
In her social media statement, Atkinson wished her readers a "Merry Christmas and may the grace of God guide and watch over our district and our loved ones this holiday season. #KeepTheFaith.
Concurrently, Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz has asked visiting Judge Romeo Flores to set for an emergency hearing the interim removal of BISD member Erasmo Castro.
Another visiting judge, Manuel Banales, temporarily removed San Benito CISD board president Michael A. Vargas and asked the court clerk to announce that applications for his replacements be placed on local newspapers.
Castro, as was Vargas, was the subject of a petition to the court to remove him from office pending his trial on DWI charges.
Concurrently, Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz has asked visiting Judge Romeo Flores to set for an emergency hearing the interim removal of BISD member Erasmo Castro.
Another visiting judge, Manuel Banales, temporarily removed San Benito CISD board president Michael A. Vargas and asked the court clerk to announce that applications for his replacements be placed on local newspapers.
Castro, as was Vargas, was the subject of a petition to the court to remove him from office pending his trial on DWI charges.
33 comments:
The three words that best describe sylvia Atkinson are as follows, and I quote
"Stink, stank, stunk!"
She's only sorry she got caught. I really hope they give her 10 plus years just so she can squeal like a pig and a rat. Give up everyone even those in the City. No tiene verguenza la piruja al ir al quebrameñto de hanna.
The city does this every year, with public notices timed to appear before graduation, when traffic is high and illicit vendors hit the sidewalks, Garages sales are still fine, meanwhile, provided they take place on the resident’s property, don’t last more than five consecutive days and are held no more than once in three months
How about political candidates blocking sidewalks at every polling place specially the city library. NOTHING WAS EVER DONE. HYPOCRITES
Was she suspended with pay? Of course she was they're all in it together. That person that arrested for taking a 1.99 shovel home on loan was fired immediately and he wasn't investigated by the FBI or CIA or NSA or the texas rangers.
So if she's found guilty she returns her salary???
VOTE EVERYBODY OUT WE NEED TO CLEAN HOUSE
Petitioners seek to remove Castro from school board how about removing all the board. Let TEA run the joint.
This person was driven to drinking because of the corruption he saw. pobresito
In baseball re-sign means you got a new contract to continue playing.
BISD re-sign mean lay-off or suspended WITH PAY you don't work and get a salary.
There's a difference BISD uses tax-payers monies while baseball uses proceeds from sale of tickets from fans. BIG DIFFERENCE
Why don't they pay from their pockets (the elected board)
Is getting a check considered making contact with the agencies she's not allowed to contact?
Juanito don't you have attorneys in retainers that can answer this very important question?
Wow, she lost her house, too? No job, no board, and pretty soon, no friends. Once her friends find that knife in their back, she'll find herself by her own lonesome. But even so, she continues to do things as she pleases and get's away with it - seal indictments? groundbreaking? quorum meeting at IHOP? And what else do we not know about? She is digging herself deeper into her own you know what!
Voluntary? The judge told her to stay away from her co-conspirators!
Brownsville backs its worst residents for public service, sees them fail gloriously and then the other worst one come here to throw shit on them. That's the Act we've known for all these years. (Like @12:15 a.m.) smh
The same Luis Saenz who threw out Sylvia’s indictment? The same Luis who got his wife “appointed” to the TSC Board that Sylvia controla through Adela Garza? The same TSC Board, including Saenz’ wife, that was wines and dined by the same vendor that put money in Sylvia’s pocket and Prisci’s campaign?
For being such a tiny shithole of a city browntown sure has a huge population of corrupt democrats.
The fat lady is about to sing! People all over at TSC and BISD are shitting bricks. Almost as stupid as naming a company Pink Ape.
Ja ja ja, así tu parecer que consigan los votos de la comunidad y una vez que ganen, que actuen con forme dicta su mentalidad, entonces para que pide voto. Estas mujeres del BISD se alian para tomar acuerdos porque llegaron a los cargos legislativos por votación del pueblo de Brownsville, antes esa chayotera no tenía voz que casualidad ahora, eso se llama chaquetería. Busca un mejor camino con mejores ciudadanos, Brownsville.
The question is did that pink monkey get compensated by the FBI and if yes how much?
El Culo Unido,
Nunca sera Vencido.
El Culo Unido,
Nunca sera Vencido.
Really? An emergency meeting for the interim removal for a misdemeanor while this cow has been indicted on multiple federal charges??? Didn't our DA throw out some charges against SA when she was HR director at BISD for misuse of SS numbers and falsifying documents? Isn't SA supporting our DA in his bid for reelection? What a bunch of crock!
My question is why Pink Ape Media was a “cooperating witness” ??
TSC needed to suspend her WITHOUT pay. After all she has a huge “Bribery” account in the Bank. TSC should fire her immediately, the hell with ADELA who insisted on creating a gig for her friend. Two of a kind sickos!
The ones who actually believe that this carpet muncher is innocent, then I know that you are voting democRAT! You're not using your God given common sense and seeing the black and white in this indictment! The Feds knew that this POS is a crook and snitch! Why do you think they took so long to conduct the investigation and make sure that it was air tight! Not like the way the State conducted the investigation on that other crook, tony yzaguirre!
This carpet muncher is a phony and its about time that she got caught! Every LEO who knew that POS, says the same thing!
We know you are heart broken RRUN aka Juan about Sylvia being indicted. We know you got played by her for years. We know she used you for her vendetta against Joe Rod, Dr. E. Zendejas and other people she needed to get out of her way to be able to collect bribes from. But we also know that just because you are heart broken you are doing the right thing by exposing her now. To what extent will you be truthful to your huge audience, time will only tell. The sad part there was sooo many people affected, good potential vendors she destroyed because she was able to. BISD and RHISD personnel that she had demoted because they didn't play ball with her or did her biddings. People careers were ruined because of her, children future were and are currently being destroyed because of her greed. Boar Members and other elected official will go down because of her. We know you were played, as smart as you are, you were played by her and others that contributed to misleading you, giving you bits and pieces of information to tell their stories.
Now if you could only start the real reporting that you have made your career on, you will bigger than any news source we have in the Valley. Good luck to you Mr. RRunRRun. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Voluntarily...:puro pinche pedo! The judge gave her an order...pinche diabla mamona
No tiene vuerguenza! Yo estuviera con la cola entra las patas! She knows no shame? Is she related to Donald Trump? Maybe Donald will pardon her? And Juan, why don't you use the Socorro picture where it looks like she is crying. It would at least make her look remorseful, but then, I don't think she knows what that means.
What do you know? Joe may be the only one left standing on that board.
Erasmo, viene el reporte de Tampico. Deja de tocar ninos. Viejo marrano.
If she was ordered to stay away from people involved in her case by Judge Morgan, how and when was she given permission to stay on the board and continue to communicate with her cronies? She makes things up like her facebook statements sounding more like Minerva Pena now with her golpes de pecho. She needs to be confessing and asking forgiveness for real. Eso se saca por cabrona que es con todos. I bet Minerva or Prici or maybe even Drue took her 4 or 5 dozen tamales at home. They all walked out with dozens last year.
What do you mean, 4:37 that Joe is the only one left standing on the board? Is he the one who will serve out SPA's term or Erasmo's term? Or, will he come in again when Laura has to quit when she wins for District Clerk. Oh, boy, so now Prici and Drew and Philip Cowen will run the board? I can't wait to see how Minnie Winnie fits into all this and even into the Elizondo case regarding campaign funds. Whachate Minnie! Hay viene el FBI?
From what I hears she was a a tyrannical, unaccountable executive but the government put a stop to all this.
SPA, how many people have truthful or actually emailed you with a positive comment? I have yet to hear someone say something good about you or using the pobrecita syndrome on you. Everyone knows who you are and what you are all about and it won't be long before the whole truth and nothing but the truth, comes out. Your time has come and now you will know exactly how many of us felt when you made us all look like your slaves being hit with a whip. I will be counting the days for your court date and ask Minerva to pray that they don't dismiss the charges against you. She better know better or you will be back with fire spitting out of your, oops, mouth!
Quesito Mosho. Ya sabes lo que paso en Tampico. Viejo marrano. Deja a los ninos en paz.
VOLUNTARILY? Didn't the judge order her to stay AWAY so its by her choice not the judge? She needs to get EDUCATED that Phd is not helping.
Atkinson thinks she’s above the law. Let’s see if the Feds consider this a laughing matter. She keeps posting that people are sending her messages.... I haven’t met one single person that likes her ...only Adela Garza plastic surgery queen.
Any updates on her status?? She has court on Monday? In person? But everyone is being so quiet about I ut it?! Update would be great! Don't want the valley to overlook this.
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