Edcouch politician admits to accepting kickbacks

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Former Edcouch Mayor Pro-Tem Rene Flores, who accepted $2,000 in kickbacks from a marketing consultant, pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge on Friday.

In 2019, the city of Edcouch paid $6,000 to Pink Ape Media Consulting. In exchange, the company paid $2,000 in kickbacks to Flores.

“When you’re in a culture that seems to cultivate this kind of stuff, it’s easy to fall prey to it,” said attorney Rick Salinas of Mission, who represents Flores. “And I think that, when he finally snapped out of it, he says: Hey, I just want to do what’s right. And I’m ready to take care of this as quickly as possible.”

Pink Ape is owned by Rodrigo Moreno Fernandez, an FBI informant who played a key role in the corruption case against former Brownsville school board Trustee Sylvia P. Atkinson.

Victor Hugo De La Cruz, a former member of the Edcouch-Elsa school board, served as the company’s marketing director.

Edcouch hired De La Cruz in January 2019. Less than a month later, the city hired Pink Ape.

The city paid $7,500 to Pink Ape for photography, graphic design and web development services, according to documents released under the Texas Public Information Act.

Six months later, Flores and De La Cruz met with Moreno.

Flores and De La Cruz agreed to steer business to Pink Ape, according to the indictment against them, which refers to Moreno as “Person 1” and Pink Ape as “Business A.” In exchange, Moreno agreed to pay kickbacks.

Edcouch cut a $3,000 check to Pink Ape on July 11, 2019.

Four days later, De La Cruz told Moreno that Flores was “expecting his payment,” according to the indictment. Moreno paid $1,000 to Flores.

Edcouch cut another $3,000 check to Pink Ape on Sept. 12, 2019.

After the payment, De La Cruz set up a meeting “to pay the kickback,” according to the indictment. Moreno paid another $1,000 to Flores on Sept. 24, 2019.

“In response to apparent law enforcement activity that day, DE LA CRUZ called Person 1 after the kickback was paid,” according to the plea agreement, “and requested a follow up meeting with DE LA CRUZ and FLORES.”

What tipped off De La Cruz remains unclear.

The FBI didn’t arrest De La Cruz and Flores until September 2024 — nearly five years after the second kickback.

“It’s an old case,” Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane said Friday morning, when Flores appeared in court.

Crane asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson about the delay.

Johnson said the investigation was linked to other investigations but didn’t provide any details.

“There’s cases in Brownsville, there’s cases in Edcouch, there’s cases in Progreso — a lot of them,” Salinas said in an interview. “I don’t know exactly what he was making reference to.”

Flores pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge. As part of his plea, Flores agreed to pay $2,000 and waived his right to appeal.

Sentencing is scheduled for March. Flores faces a maximum of 5 years in federal prison.

De La Cruz pleaded not guilty. He’s scheduled for trial in February.