A federal judge in Del Rio has sentenced Ruben James Valdez, age 45 of Uvalde, TX, to six months in federal prison for his role in a farm loan scheme, announced U.S. Attorney John Bash.

During sentencing yesterday afternoon in Del Rio, U.S. District Judge Alia Moses also ordered Valdez to perform 200 hours of community service in lieu of a fine; pay $15,782 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (joint and severally with co-defendant Barbara Serna Salinas); and, be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.

On April 26, 2018, Valdez pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on a loan application.  By pleading guilty, Valdez admitted that in order to secure a $15,000 FSA loan in June 2016, he provided false information and paid cash and other incentives to Serna, a former loan officer for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Uvalde.  Valdez and Eric Torres Neira of San Antonio, received FSA loans totaling more than $150,000 as a result of this scheme. 

On April 9, 2019, Judge Moses sentenced Serna to two years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $166,744.20 in restitution to the USDA.  On December 4, 2018, Judge Moses sentenced Neira to five months imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution to the USDA, joint and severally with Serna, in the amount of $142,961.94. 

The USDA Office of Inspector General-Investigations, with the assistance of the FBI, conducted this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd Keagle and Joshua Banister are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

Barbara Serna Salinas, a 43-year-old former loan officer for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Uvalde, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for a farm loan fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney John Bash.

During sentencing yesterday in Del Rio, U.S. District Judge Alia Moses also ordered Serna to pay $166,744.20 in restitution to the USDA and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing her prison term.

On June 28, 2018, Serna pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on a loan application.  By pleading guilty, Serna admitted she issued multiple fraudulent FSA loans from May 2011 through June 2016.  Furthermore, in exchange for approving the loans, Serna accepted cash or other forms of payment from her co-defendants, Ruben James Valadez, age 44 of Uvalde, and Eric Torres Neira, age 44 of San Antonio. According to court documents, a review of USDA loans approved by Serna after 2011 identified several to Neira and Valadez, which totaled more than $150,000. 

On December 4, 2018, Judge Moses sentenced Neira to five months imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution to the USDA, joint and severally with Serna, in the amount of $142,961.94.  Valadez is currently awaiting sentencing on October 2, 2019.  Neira and Valadez pleaded guilty to the same false statement charge--Neira on March 29, 2018; Valadez on April 26, 2018.

The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General-Investigations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted this investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Todd Keagle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

In Del Rio, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against three individuals for their alleged roles in a farm loan fraud scheme announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.

 

The criminal complaint, filed this week, charges Barbara Serna Salinas, a 42-year-old former loan officer for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Uvalde, and two loan recipients—Ruben James Valadez, age 43 of Uvalde, and Eric Torres Neira, age 43 of San Antonio--with wire fraud and making false statements on a loan application.

 

The complaint alleges that from May 2011 through June 2016, Serna in her official capacity issued multiple fraudulent FSA loans.  Furthermore, in exchange for approving the loans, Serna accepted cash or other forms of payment from Neira and Valadez. According to the complaint, a review of USDA loans approved by Serna after 2011 identified several to Neira and Valadez, which totaled more than $150,000. 

 

Federal authorities arrested Serna and Valadez yesterday in Uvalde, TX.  Neira was taken into custody this morning in San Antonio.  All three have made their initial appearances in federal court and have been released on bond pending resolution of this case.

 

Upon conviction, the defendants face up to 30 years in federal prison for wire fraud and up to 20 years in federal prison for making a false statement on loan application. 

 

The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General-Investigations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted this investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Goran Krnaich and Todd Keagle are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

 

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.