CAMERON—A mother and daughter who once worked for the Milam County Tax Office received probated sentences and were ordered to pay restitution recently in 20th District Court.
Both Lydia Sanchez Cervantez, 55, and Laura Renee Cervantez, 26, pleaded guilty to a lesser included Class misdemeanors, attempted fraud.
According to Prosecutor Bill Torrey, Lydia Cervantez was placed on two years deferred adjudication, fined $2,500 and assessed $225 in restitution to be determined later.
Laura Cervantez was assessed two years deferred adjudication, fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $316 in restitution.
Both women are Cameron residents.
They were originally charged with false name info/forgery vehicle registration, two counts against Lydia and one for Laura.
They were released after posting $10,000 and $5,000 bonds respectively.
AFFIDAVITS—Arrest affidavits indicated the charges were over allegations of incidents involving documents related to the same Ford F-150 pickup on July 7 and Oct. 27, 2017.
On July 17, the affidavit alleges Lydia Cervantez “knowingly entered a false sales price” on the title application form involving a title transfer to her daughter-in-law.
Affidavits also allege that on Oct. 27, Lydia Cervantez “transferred a motor vehicle title, using a false sales price to circumvent remitting the required sales tax” and that Laura Cervantez “processed a secondary fraudulent transaction for this vehicle.”
It alleges the vehicle was transferred to Lydia Cervantez.
Fraud loss was calculated at $316.37.
Investigation began by the Texas Dept. of Motor Vehicles State Title Fraud on Nov. 2, 2017.
Both women’s employment was terminated in January, 2018..
INDICTMENT—Last month Lydia Cervantez was indicted for aggravated perjury.
Torrey said that action involved false statements allegedly made by Cervantez in an attempt to obtain unemployment benefits.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.