Nearly six months after being indicted on federal fraud charges, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar is now facing an attempt to remove him from office.
Former Laredo City Council member Alfonso “Poncho” Casso filed a petition in Webb County district court last week, seeking Cuellar’s suspension from office due to the federal indictment and other allegations of misconduct. This filing was first highlighted by The Laredo Morning Times, which reported on the significant implications of these legal challenges for the five-term sheriff.
Cuellar has categorically denied all allegations presented in the petition and has demanded “strict proof,” as stated in his court response filed on Friday. The sheriff has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, which were unveiled in January of this year.
Casso’s petition heavily references the five-count federal indictment that accuses Cuellar and two associates of misappropriating funds from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment alleges that in April 2020, they established a private disinfecting business that primarily utilized county employees and resources to fulfill a $500,000 contract for cleaning schools in Laredo.
According to federal prosecutors, Cuellar allegedly received approximately $175,000 from this endeavor, which he purportedly used to purchase property in the area. Rick Rodriguez, a former deputy of Cuellar involved in the business, has already entered a guilty plea in connection with the case. If convicted, Cuellar faces potential sentences of up to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy and theft of federal funds, along with an additional 10 years for charges related to money laundering.
Casso’s petition also brings forth allegations of mismanagement at the county jail, as well as violations of the Texas Whistleblower Act, the Texas Elections Code, and various procurement laws. The filing argues that “he has been compromised and has no credibility managing the Webb County Sheriff’s Office or County Jail.”
Notably, Sheriff Cuellar is the brother of U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat who was indicted in May 2024 on charges related to bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy in connection with his dealings with an Azerbaijan-run oil-and-gas company and a Mexican bank. Former President Donald Trump granted a pardon to the representative in December, although he later criticized him for perceived disloyalty when he decided to pursue another term as a Democrat.
