Texas judge bribed with money tucked in beer boxes headed to prison, prosecutors say
Judge Rudy Delgado was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday for accepting bribes for favorable outcomes in cases he oversaw, according to ABC 12.
“Rudy Delgado used his position to enrich himself. He didn’t just tip the scales of justice, he knocked it over with a wad of cash and didn’t look back,” US Attorney Ryan K. Patrick said. “Delgado’s actions unfairly tarnish all his former colleagues.”
Delgado, 65, according to KGBT, “was sentenced to a total five years behind bars. Four years behind bars on counts 1, 5, 6 and 7. Those counts included conspiracy and three counts of travel act. Delgado also was sentenced to 60 months on counts 2, 3, 4 and 8, which included two counts of bribery, one count of travel act and obstruction of justice.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Delgado “conspired with an attorney from January 2008 to November 2016 to accept bribes in exchange for favorable judicial consideration on criminal cases pending in his courtroom.”
He also “accepted bribes on three separate occasions in exchange for agreeing to release three of the attorney’s clients on bond in cases pending before his court. The first two bribes totaled approximately $520 in cash and the third bribe - in January 2018 - totaled approximately $5,500,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote.
Attorney Noe Perez began working for the FBI as an informant in 2016, according to KRGV.
“Perez would take beer to the judge and slip money into the boxes, usually about $250.00 in cash,” the outlet reported.
After his release, Delgado “will be on supervised release for two years following his jail time. He is also not allowed to commit a state or local crime. He’ll also have to participate in an alcohol treatment program, mental health treatment and $800 will be immediately paid for a special assessment,” KGBT reported.
He was out on bail Wednesday after his sentencing.
This story was originally published September 26, 2019 at 8:02 PM.