SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Indictment Unsealed for Webb County Sheriff and Chief of Staff
Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar and his chief of staff, Alejandro Gutierrez, recently appeared in federal court following a unsealed five-count indictment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas claims they were involved in a conspiracy to embezzle county funds, and notably, Sheriff Cuellar is the brother of recently pardoned U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar.
The indictment indicates that Cuellar, 67, and Gutierrez, 47, both from Laredo, Texas, participated in a scheme to embezzle funds from 2020 to 2022, along with former chief of staff Ricardo Rodriguez. They allegedly utilized department personnel and resources to establish a disinfection operation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal authorities conducted a raid on Cuellar’s Laredo office in June 2023 as part of an ongoing investigation. A second search warrant was executed at the Laredo Unified School District offices on the same day. Both actions were linked to business operations that authorities believe were fraudulent, allegedly involving Cuellar, Gutierrez, and Rodriguez in defrauding taxpayers.
The indictment describes how the co-conspirators formed a business, Dinifect Pro Master, in April 2020. They secured cleaning and disinfection contracts with local establishments despite lacking employees or proper supplies. Employees from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office reportedly conducted daily operations on behalf of Disinfection Pro Master and arranged for the necessary supplies outside of official work hours.
A contract worth $500,000 was awarded to Disinfection Pro Master to clean facilities for the Laredo Unified Independent School District. Federal investigators highlighted that the business was primarily operated using county employees and resources to maximize profit margins.
According to court documents, Cuellar, Gutierrez, and Rodriguez each allegedly received around $175,000, which represented one-third of the profits from this scheme.
If they are found guilty, Cuellar and Gutierrez could face up to 10 years in federal prison, along with a possible $250,000 fine. Cuellar has also been charged with money laundering, which can bring an additional 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or double the value of the laundered property, authorities noted.
Co-conspirator Ricardo Rodriguez, also from Laredo, has already pleaded guilty to his involvement in the fraudulent scheme and is awaiting sentencing on March 16, having been released on bail.
In a noteworthy context, Sheriff Cuellar’s brother, Rep. Henry Cuellar, along with his wife, received pardons from President Donald Trump in December for federal bribery and conspiracy charges.
