At a Presidio County Commissioner’s Court meeting Wednesday, embattled Precinct 3 commissioner Lorenzo Hernandez officially resigned from his position.
Hernandez’s resignation letter was delivered to the court as county commissioners were set to file a removal petition against him.
The letter, addressed to county judge Cinderella Guevarra and the entire commissioners court, says Hernandez resignation is "effectively immediately."
The Presidio County commissioners will now look to fill the Precinct 3 vacancy.
In July — shortly after Hernandez was arrested on federal bribery charges — the court initially asked him to either voluntarily resign or take a temporary leave of absence.
By the end of that month, Hernandez had informed the court he would be taking a leave of absence. During that time, according to the Big Bend Sentinel, Hernandez continued to receive his annual salary of $18,000. Additionally, the Sentinel reported, the county continued to pay nearly $700 in benefits for Hernandez.
Along with Presidio official Carlos Nieto, Hernandez is accused of defrauding the city and receiving kickbacks in order to secure a contract for a computer software company. That company, however, was part of a sting operation set up by the FBI.
For two years, agents investigated Hernandez and Nieto. Hernandez allegedly received more than $19 thousand dollars for his reported role in securing the county contract.
