2 men get time in conspiracy to bribe federal judge overseeing $65M money-laundering case
Two men who pleaded guilty to charges that they and a third Mexican citizen tried to bribe a Texas federal judge overseeing a $65 million money-laundering case have been sentenced to a year and a day by a visiting federal judge from Louisiana.
Francisco Colorado Jr. and Ramon Segura Flores will be deported when they complete their sentences in the Austin case, the American-Statesman reports.
The third defendant accused of participating in scheme to bribe U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks with $1.2 million, Francisco Colorado Cessa was sentenced in September to 20 years for his role in the money-laundering conspiracy by Sparks, who at that point knew nothing about the bribery scheme.
Lawyers for Colorado Jr. and Segura said the two expect to be deported soon because they have already served their time, and they are relieved the case is concluded, the newspaper reports. Each had faced a maximum sentence of five years for conspiring to bribe a public official.
The feds said the money-laundering case, linked to the Los Zetas criminal organization, involved laundering some $60 million through purported profits from purchasing, training, breeding and racing American quarter horses. Some races in New Mexico and Texas were allegedly fixed as part of the scheme.
Related coverage:
American-Statesman (2013): “Unusual proposal offered in bribery of judge case”
