Feds Arrest Ex-Business Manager of 24-Student Valentine ISD on Theft Charges
Federal authorities announced this week that a former Valentine ISD employee was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged scheme to fraudulently misappropriate school district funds for personal expenses.
According to court documents, Ernesto Villarreal, 42, of Marfa, is alleged to have fraudulently and improperly used credit cards that were issued by the 24-student VISD that is located in Jeff Davis County in far West Texas.
The cards were intended for Villarreal to use for authorized purchases in his capacity as business manager and tax assessor/collector. Instead, Villarreal allegedly used the credit cards for hundreds of personal purchases, including (but not limited to) travel, lodging, home improvements, hardware store purchases, personal cell phone bills, fuel, oil changes, convenience store purchases, university tuition payments and various other unauthorized purchases.
Additionally, Villarreal is alleged to have accessed payroll information for several employees and former employees of the district in order to create fraudulent payroll payments that he sent to his personal bank account. The indictment alleges that Villarreal would change the direct deposit information for employees and former employees and replace such information with his own bank account direct deposit information.
Villarreal is charged with one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and eight counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for count one and up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count.
