Texas Rangers, FBI Search Home Of Anthony, Texas Mayor
The Texas Rangers, assisted by the FBI, searched the home of Anthony, Texas Mayor Art Franco Tuesday afternoon.
Law enforcement personnel were seen leaving Franco’s house with boxes early Tuesday evening. Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Barney said the Texas Rangers are conducting an ongoing investigation of Franco.
No arrests have been made at this time and Barney would not go into details of the investigation.
Franco said they requested documents having to do with an investigation that was first revealed last April.
Franco said he handed over the documents and said he had nothing to hide.
Franco said last year he was being investigated by the Texas Rangers for alleged misappropriation of funds and possible credit card abuse.
Franco said at Anthony?s town meeting on Tuesday night that his name will be cleared when everything comes out.
“I have a lot of faith in the justice system,” Franco said. “I mean, it’s about the fourth time in my career as mayor that (an investigation has happened) and thanks to God that everything came out, the truth came out, after the investigation and I hope it works out this time.”
Franco said he could not elaborate on the details of the investigation.
It was revealed in April of last year that the Texas Rangers were investigating Franco for allegations he misappropriated funds and possibly credit card abuse, a source close to the investigation told ABC-7 last year.
A spokesman with the Texas Department of Public Safety told ABC-7 last April that the Texas Rangers had been on the case for several months.
Franco has been the mayor of Anthony, Texas for nearly 19 years. Franco told ABC-7 last year that he?d been investigated before and that he was confident things would be resolved in his favor.
Franco has previously served on the Anthony, Texas Town Council and the Anthony Independent School District Board. He also has served as president of the Rio Grande Council of Government where he is currently a board member.
According to the Town of Anthony Website, the town has added more than 25 new major businesses and has received more than $25 million in grant money for infrastructure and parks improvements during Franco’s tenure as mayor.
