Admitted Felon Says He is Only Half Guilty

EXCERPT FROM TODAY’S ISSUE OF THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD:

Prosecutors have also alleged Olivarez made cash payments totaling $2,600 to former board member De Leon and paid $4,000 for entertainment at a reception honoring one of current trustee Navarro’s relatives.

Thursday, however, Olivarez denied some of those allegations.

“I plead guilty even though some of the things in (the indictment) are not true,” he said.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa cut him off before he could get into specifics, saying Olivarez only needed to admit that at least one of the allegations was true to be found guilty. 

Editor’s Note:  Pleading half guilty? How will this affect upcoming sentencing in December? 

See Department of Justice News Release: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txs/releases/June2007/070605-PSJA.htm

Corrupt Insurance Agent Pleads Guilty to Bribery

McALLEN – One the of three remaining defendants in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district corruption case pleaded guilty Thursday, a week before his trial was set to begin.

Arnulfo “Arnie” Olivarez, a top Rio Grande Valley insurance agent, told the court that he attempted to buy influence with board members with cash payments on at least two occasions.

The admission of guilt makes him the fourth person in the case to confess to the alleged bribes-for-votes scheme that governed construction and service bids within the district for at least six years.

See Bond – bond1       

Editor’s Note: Olivarez was a leading producer for Blue Cross and was one of only a few select agents to garner a coveted Blue Cross General Agent Contract. But, it appears Mr. Olivarez failed to read his Blue Cross code of ethics – bcbs-code-of-ethics