Ex-Socorro councilman Jesse Gandara Jr. found guilty of bribery charge
Former Socorro city councilman Jesus “Jesse” Gandara Jr. Has been found guilty of a felony bribe charge.
He faces two to 20 years in prison.
Closing arguments concluded early Wednesday afternoon and then the jury deliberated the verdict.
The state rested after calling its third and final witness this morning, Angel Licon, the son of Licon Dairy owners Gene and Sandra Licon.
Gandara Jr. was remanded into custody and the sentencing phase will begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
Socorro councilman at large Rene Rodriguez on Gandara guilty verdict: “Hopefully this is the end of Gandara politics in Socorro.”
Other Members Of The Gandara Family Have Been Charged In Crimes
Jesus Gandara Sr. – Jesse’s father — was a former Ysleta ISD associate superintendent who went on to become superintendent of the Sweetwater school district in the San Diego area from 2006-to-2011. Investigators there accused Jesus Gandara Sr. of taking payoffs and kickbacks for things like meals and sporting event tickets in exchange for influence. He pleaded guilty to one felony and one misdemeanor in 2014 and was sentenced to 270 days in prison.
Guillermo “Willie” Gandara, Sr. was sentenced to 3 years in prison in late 2013 after pleading guilty to a federal wire fraud charge. He also was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and told to pay $5,575 in restitution. Gandara’s sentence is tied to his part in what is now dubbed “Operation Poisoned Pawns.” Gandara accepted a bribe when he was a Socorro Independent School District trustee to approve Access Healthsource as the district’s new insurance provider. He along with 10 other people were indicted.
Ex-El Paso County Commissioner Willie Gandara Jr. was sentenced Nov. 14, 2012 to 6 1/2 years in federal prison on drug-related charges. He also was ordered to pay a $300,000 fine. He pleaded guilty in Aug. 2012 to operating a Lower Valley stash house and masterminding the shipment of hundreds of pounds of marijuana to Oklahoma and Chicago.
