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Former Presidio County Official Carlos Nieto Pleads Guilty

A former Presidio official pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal bribery-related charges.

Carlos Nieto, a former special projects coordinator with the City of Presidio, admitted he conspired to defraud the County.

Nieto, along with former Presidio County Commissioner Lorenzo Padilla Hernandez,  have admitted to taking bribes to favor a document management system contractor.

Hernandez and Nieto received $19,800 and $8,300, respectively. The company, however, was part of a sting operation set up by the FBI.

“The individuals charged hold positions of public trust and will be held accountable,” FBI agent Emmerson Buie, Jr., said when Nieto and Hernandez were first arrested in June 2017. “The FBI is committed to aggressively investigating allegations of public corruption and, where warranted, seeking appropriate federal charges.”

In August, Hernandez pleaded guilty to the same federal bribery charge.

Nieto and Hernandez are both facing up to 20 years in federal prison.

Carlos worked at Marfa Public Radio from 2017 to 2024, first as a reporter and Morning Edition host and later as News Director.