Former El Paso County Judge Dolores Briones has been charged with conspiracy to commit theft or embezzlement of federal program funds, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales.
Briones, 60, who now resides in Austin, is charged in one-count criminal information that was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Dec. 9. The information was unsealed earlier today.
Briones' charges have to do with her alleged actions as county judge from 2005 through 2006, her last two years in office. They are conspiracy to commit theft or embezzlement of federal program funds. Briones is accused of accepting bribes from officials at Aliviane and LKG Enterprises -- $2,000 a month for several months according to the indictment.
Now, the federal government wants Briones to return the $35,000 she allegedly accepted.

As KFOX 14 reported Friday, Briones was repeatedly mentioned in the indictment against businessmen Ruben "Sonny" Garcia, Jr. and Cirilo "Chilo" Lara Madrid. Garica and Madrid are accused of illegally obtaining various county contracts for their perspective businesses by bribing county officials.

Briones has not been indicted. The document released to the media Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico is simply being called "informational." It lists the charges against Briones and the money they want paid back. The document does state if Briones is convicted, she faces five years in prison.

The informational document comes from the New Mexico district, likely because Briones' brother is senior U.S. District Judge David Briones, a federal judge in the U.S. Western District of Texas.

KFOX 14 reached out to get reaction from several people Tuesday, including former county commissioner Luis Sarinana, whose office was searched by the FBI back in 2007. He has not been indicted and had no comment.

Saturday, a day after Cobos was arrested, current County Judge Veronica Escobar sent KFOX 14 a statement that ensured citizens of El Paso County there are good people in government, but she did not return KFOX 14's phone calls Tuesday evening.

KFOX 14 did get ahold of Commissioner Dan Haggerty on the phone. He was also mentioned in the indictment against Cobos as taking benefits of more than $10,000 in making a deal while they both served on the Commissioners Court. Haggerty has not been charged with any crime. He said Tuesday night, he did not know Briones had been charged, didn't want to comment on the indictment any further, but asked if he felt like he was next on the list to be charged in the scandal, "No I don't think that," answered Haggerty. As KFOX 14 has reported Haggerty has been diagnosed with bladder cancer and will head to Houston on Wednesday to get treatment.

KFOX 14 reached out through Facebook and made several phone calls to Dolores Briones, but has yet to hear back from her.

KFOX 14 asked the office of the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico when Briones will be arrested, but the office couldn't give an answer.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by Steven C. Yarbrough, first assistant U.S. attorney in the District of New Mexico.