U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Texas
Tim Johnson, Acting U.S. Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOV. 20, 2008

FORMER TxDOT ADMINISTRATOR SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN BRIBERY SCHEME

( MCALLEN , Texas ) – The former District Maintenance Administrator of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) was sentenced to prison today for soliciting and accepting bribes to award highway contracts or certify completion of highway projects, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. 

Cresenciano “Chano” Falcon, 56, of Edinburg , Texas , was sentenced this afternoon by United States District Judge Randy Crane. Noting he intended the imposed sentence to send a message, Judge Crane sentenced Falcon to 60 months in federal prison without parole to be followed by a three-year-term of supervised release. Falcon pleaded guilty in May 2008 admitting to knowingly and corruptly accepting $2000 in U.S. currency from an informant Nov. 13, 2007 , intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with a TxDOT “sweeping contract,” valued at more than $5000. The transaction – a violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 666  – was captured on audio and video tape. The court has released Falcon on bond for a period of two weeks ordering him to surrender to federal authorities in two weeks to begin serving his five-year prison term.   

Two TxDOT highway inspectors, Ray Llanes, 50, of San Benito, Texas, and Noe Beltran, 42, of San Juan, each of whom pleaded guilty on May 30, 2008, admitting to having accepted $200 in U.S. currency Jan. 15, 2008, from an informant intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with a TxDOT “sweeping contract,” valued at more than $5000, are set to be sentenced on Dec 4, 2008. Both men remain free on bond pending their sentencing hearing.

The investigation conducted by the FBI with the assistance and cooperation of the Texas Rangers was initiated after a private sweeping contractor, unable to meet the payoffs demanded and make a profit, reported paying bribes to TxDOT District Maintenance Administrator Falcon  to get “sweeping" projects/contracts and being forced to pay TxDOT inspectors Llanes and  Beltran money to certify that the work was completed properly. 

The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the McAllen office of the FBI and the Texas Rangers. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James McAlister.