Former Progreso school board president charged with assault

PROGRESO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Progreso Police Department charged former school board President Francisco “Frank” Alanis with assault on Saturday.

At 2:33 a.m. Saturday, the police department responded to a disturbance on the 900 block of Encino Drive, according to a complaint filed with the Progreso Municipal Court. His wife, Edith Vasquez, said Alanis had yanked her out of bed in the middle of the night, pulled her hair and grabbed her by the neck.

“Frank, like anyone else, deserves the presumption of innocence,” said attorney Carlos A. Garcia of Mission, who represents Alanis. “And we’ll see where the facts lead us.”

Former Progreso school board President Francisco "Frank" Alanis is accused of assaulting his wife. (Dave Hendricks / CBS 4 News)

Alanis smelled like alcohol, according to the complaint, and refused to cooperate with the police department.

Progreso had to call Weslaco for assistance. When backup arrived, Progreso charged Alanis with assault, a Class A misdemeanor.

After spending the weekend in jail, Alanis appeared before Progreso Municipal Judge Orlando “O.J.” Villarreal on Sunday night.

Villarreal set bail at $15,000 and signed an emergency protective order against Alanis.

For the next 61 days, Alanis is prohibited from contacting his wife or going within 200 feet of the family home.

Former school board President Francisco "Frank" Alanis spent the weekend in jail after being accused of assaulting his wife. (Dave Hendricks / CBS 4 News)

Francisco Javier Alanis, 42, of Progreso served as president of the school board from 2016 to 2023, when Homeland Security Investigations arrested him on federal drug charges.

HSI, which is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, linked Alanis to smugglers who transported more than 88 pounds of cocaine through South Texas in 2020. During the investigation, agents seized more than $720,000 in cash from his mother’s house.

Other people who participated in the conspiracy included his brother, former Progreso Mayor Gerardo “Jerry” Alanis; Arturo Aleman, another former mayor of Progreso; and Joe Rosbel Salas Jr., a former school bus driver.

Alanis spent more than 10 days in federal custody after his drug arrest.

When a federal judge set bond at $250,000 with a $15,000 cash deposit, his wife put up the money, according to court records, allowing him to return home.

Alanis pleaded guilty in 2024. As part of his plea, Alanis confessed to “financially backing” the drug trafficking organization.

Sentencing in the federal drug case is scheduled for June 24. Alanis faces 10 years to life in prison.

While the assault charge is a misdemeanor, it could be a major problem for Alanis.

In 2023, when the federal judge released him on bond, Alanis agreed to “refrain from any use of alcohol” and not to “violate any federal, state or local laws.”

The incident on Saturday violated both conditions, according to the complaint. If a federal judge comes to the same conclusion, Alanis could be jailed until sentencing.