Former mayor pro-tem plans to plead guilty in Edcouch bribery case

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Former Edcouch Mayor Pro-Tem Rene Flores, who is accused of accepting kickbacks from a marketing consultant, plans to plead guilty on Friday.

Flores — who served on the Edcouch Board of Aldermen from 2016 to 2024 — is scheduled to appear before Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane on Friday morning.

“I don’t think I’ve ever represented someone who’s so remorseful,” said attorney Rick Salinas of Mission, who represents Flores.

Edcouch City Councilman Rene Flores. (Photo courtesy of the city of Edcouch.)

Flores is accused of accepting kickbacks from Rodrigo Moreno Fernandez, who owns Pink Ape Media Consulting, a Brownsville-based company that provides local governments and politicians with a wide array of services.

Edcouch paid $3,000 to Pink Ape in July 2019 for “Marketing Consulting,” according to documents released under the Texas Public Information Act.

The payment was part of a kickback scheme, according to an indictment filed by federal prosecutors.

Four days after Edcouch cut the check, City Manager Victor Hugo De La Cruz told Moreno that Flores was “expecting his payment,” according to the indictment. Moreno paid $1,000.

Edcouch made another $3,000 payment to Pink Ape in September 2019.

After the second payment, De La Cruz arranged “a meeting to pay the kickback,” according to the indictment. Moreno paid another $1,000 to Flores.

Unbeknownst to Flores and De La Cruz, the kickback payments had been caught on camera. Moreno was an FBI informant.

“When you really look at it, in hindsight, it’s kind of dumb,” said Salinas, the attorney who represents Flores.

The scheme involved just $6,000 in public money and $2,000 in kickbacks.

“It was just a poor call on his part,” Salinas said. “Especially from a guy who’s never had any issues.”

A grand jury indicted De La Cruz and Flores in September 2024, nearly five years after the last kickback.

On Sept. 24, when De La Cruz and Flores appeared before a judge for a bond hearing, a federal prosecutor told Salinas the government had video. She suggested that Salinas provide the government with a hard drive so he could review the footage.

Flores decided to plead guilty, Salinas said, and take responsibility for his actions.

“He’s been very forthcoming,” Salinas said. “And he’s been very remorseful.”

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