David R. Cortez

David R. Cortez (born 1934) is a Laredo businessman and a former Democratic commissioner for Webb County, Texas, who was imprisoned for bribery during the first half of 2007.

Cortez pleaded guilty in a plea bargain in federal court.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen sentenced Cortez in November 2006 to three months in prison. He was released on May 4 but still must be supervised for two years, including six months of home confinement, and a $25,000 fine. Cortez surrendered to authorities in February 2007 at the low-security La Tuna facility in Anthony near El Paso.

A judge sentenced Tamez to six months in prison and three years of supervised release. A tearful Tamez told Judge Hanen that he had "done wrong, and I will have to pay for it." The case against Jimenez was dropped following his death.
Cortez resigned from the Webb County Commission when the bribery charge developed. He was last elected in 2002. On Cortez's resignation, then Webb County (Administrative) Judge Louis Bruni, as empowered to do so under Texas law, appointed Cortez's daughter, Cynthia Cortez-Brunner, to complete her father's term.

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