Attorney says Sullivan City councilman accused of selling cocaine doesn't plan to resign — for now

SULLIVAN CITY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Sullivan City Council had several major decisions to make on Monday.

An energy consultant wanted Sullivan City to sign a seven-year contract. The City Council remained divided over a proposal to pay a lawyer $2,000 per month for “special projects.” And the city needed to select an early voting location for the May election.

City Councilman Ruben Villalon, however, didn’t show up to discuss the issues facing Sullivan City — because he’s facing two felony drug charges.

“In his heart, he’s a good person,” said Elisa Soliz, 68, of Sullivan City, who knows the Villalon family. “But he made the wrong choices.”

The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office arrested Villalon on Friday afternoon.

Villalon is charged with selling cocaine from Ruben’s Tire Shop, which is located near the intersection of El Pinto Road and Gardenia Street in Sullivan City.

Attorney Rick Salinas of Mission said he advised Villalon not to attend the City Council meeting on Monday, concerned his client would become a distraction.

“I’ve also advised him not to go to the first few meetings,” Salinas said. “Until we get a better idea of what’s going on.”

Salinas also told Villalon not to resign.

“I’m not ready to do that,” Salinas said. “Because I don’t want anybody to think that he’s admitting any kind of guilt.”

According to affidavits signed by a Sheriff’s Office investigator, the case against Villalon is based partly on information provided by an informant.

“I respect what the Sheriff’s Office did. I’m not claiming anybody there did anything wrong,” Salinas said. “But I’m very, very cautious when it comes to confidential sources. I’d like to know who the guy is.”

Information provided by law enforcement sources is sometimes misleading, Salinas said, or flat-out false.

“In Sullivan City, you know — I don’t have to tell you this — anything that happens over there is a little bit questionable,” Salinas said.

Ruben Uvaldo Villalon is the second of six children born to Francisca and Ruben Villalon of Sullivan City, according to documents filed with the Hidalgo County District Clerk’s Office in 1983, when they divorced.

Three of his brothers — Francisco, Renato and Ricardo — pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges during the past three decades.

Ruben, meanwhile, built several businesses in Sullivan City, including Ruben’s Tire Shop and Ruben’s Car Wash.

They serviced Sullivan City police cars and other city vehicles, according to documents released under the Texas Public Information Act.

In 2015, when Sullivan City started regulating game rooms, Villalon applied for a permit.

His business, Luxury Game Room, had 80 slot machines, according to documents released by Sullivan City.

Luxury Game Room shut down after the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office raided game rooms in La Joya, arrested the employees and charged the owners with engaging in organized criminal activity.

Villalon was never arrested or charged with any crime.

In 2017, he sued Sullivan City, claiming the city had illegally taxed Luxury Game Room and demanding a refund.

Sullivan City denied the allegations. The lawsuit remains pending.

With support from the mayor, Villalon ran against City Councilman Jaime Villarreal in 2023. Villarreal didn’t properly fill out his ballot application.

Sullivan City canceled the election and declared Villalon the winner. He’d won a seat on the City Council without receiving a single vote.

The Sheriff’s Office started investigating Villalon in August 2024, when a deputy received information about street-level drug sales at Ruben’s Tire Shop.

Informants and undercover Sheriff’s Office investigators purchased small amounts of cocaine from Ruben’s Tire Shop on at least four separate occasions, according to court documents. In one instance, an informant paid $20 to Villalon in exchange for two baggies of cocaine.

The Sheriff’s Office arrested Villalon and Jose Alonso Galaviz, who worked at Ruben’s Tire Shop, on Friday.

Villalon is charged with manufacture or delivery of less than 1 gram of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1, a state jail felony; and manufacture or delivery of more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1, a first-degree felony.

He was released from jail on Saturday night.

“If it was me, personally, I would step down,” City Councilman Nicolas “Nick” Cerda.

Villalon, however, isn’t required to resign. He may remain on the City Council until the charge is dismissed or he’s convicted, a process that could take years.

“What I think? And what the public thinks? At the end of the day, it’s what the court decides,” Cerda said.

Villalon, though, is required to attend meetings if he wants to remain on the City Council.

Any member who misses three consecutive regular meetings without being “excused” automatically forfeits his or her position.

The city charter doesn’t specify what, exactly, is required for a member of the City Council to be excused.

In the past, when members skipped three consecutive regular meetings, the City Council voted on whether to excuse the absences.

Regardless of the outcome, Cerda said Sullivan City will move forward.

“I think we can pull through,” Cerda said. “And overcome any of these challenges that are coming up.”