Longoria receives $100,000 bond in federal racketeering case
A 52-year-old San Benito suspect in the racketeering case involving former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas has been placed under a $100,000 bond.
Jose Manuel Longoria appeared Tuesday afternoon for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio, who set the bond. He stated Longoria would not only have to post 15 percent deposit of that amount, but also first post an immigration bond in order for him to be released from custody. Longoria, who is a legal resident, has an immigration detainer on him.
Longoria, dressed in an orange jumpsuit with the words “federal inmate” on the back, stood before Recio during the hearing. Authorities communicated with Longoria through a court interpreter, who translated the court proceedings from English to Spanish.
Federal prosecutor Oscar Ponce asked Longoria be held without bond because Longoria has a prior felony conviction, is not a U.S. citizen and constantly travels to Mexico.
Ponce cited nearly 110 trips Longoria made to Mexico since 2008.
On the day of his arrest, Longoria mentioned to the arresting agent that he was planning to travel to Mexico that same afternoon, Ponce said.
Everardo Garcia, Longoria’s attorney, requested his client be placed on bond and was not a flight risk. He said Longoria has lived in Cameron County for 44 years and has a family and home in San Benito.
“He has a stable relationship with his wife and children. He has no family in Mexico,” Garcia said.
Longoria has been under custody since his arrest last Thursday morning on a complaint that the FBI filed against him in the U.S. District Court, Southern Division of Texas.
Longoria is charged with wire fraud arising from a scheme to defraud and deprive the state of Texas of the right to the honest services of a state district judge.
Recio also instructed Longoria that he is to have no contact with the other individuals involved in the case and that if any attempted to contact him, he is to notify the court within 24 hours.
Court documents indicate that at least four other individuals licensed to practice law in the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas are involved in the case against Limas.
Limas pleaded guilty to racketeering last Thursday and faces sentencing July 5.
Although a preliminary hearing had also been scheduled for Tuesday, it was reset for April 12 in order for Garcia to review information and audio recordings the federal government has on the case regarding Longoria.
The federal indictment said Limas and others also used cell phones, wire transfers and the U.S. mail to advance the affairs of the enterprise.
A conviction for wire fraud carries a maximum punishment of up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
