Federal agent, wife guilty in welfare fraud

By Guillermo Contreras
Updated 08:26 p.m., Thursday, May 24, 2012

A former federal agent and his common-law wife pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to defraud welfare programs out of almost $26,000.

Raul Villarreal Jr. was an immigration enforcement officer in Pearsall for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2008 until last year, shortly before he and Annette Flores were indicted.

Both pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery to conspiracy to commit theft of government property.

The pair admitted that, from April 2006 until Jan. 1, 2010, while living together as common-law husband and wife, they submitted applications for assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the program for Women, Infants and Children and Medicaid.

The pair claimed to be living separately, when in reality, they were not. Because of that, their income exceeded the eligibility requirements for public benefits. They ended up getting a total in assistance of $25,629, which is what they will have to pay back.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum punishment of 5 years in prison, but they are each likely to get probation. Biery scheduled sentencing for Aug. 17.

The case was investigated by inspectors general with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and ICE and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Patton.

gcontreras@express-news.net

Federal agent, wife guilty in welfare fraud - San Antonio Express-News