Texas man faces 14 years after misappropriating school funds

ALPINE, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A former Valentine Independent School District employee was arrested on criminal charges relating to his alleged scheme to fraudulently misappropriate school district funds for personal expenses.

Court documents showed 42-year-old Ernesto Villarreal, of Marfa, allegedly used credit cards issued by Valentine ISD fraudulently and improperly. The cards were intended for Villarreal to use for authorized purchases in his capacity as business manager and tax assessor/collector.

Instead, Villarreal allegedly used the credit cards for hundreds of personal purchases, including but not limited to purchases for travel, lodging, home improvements, hardware store purchases, personal cell phone bills, fuel, oil changes, convenience store purchases, university tuition payments, as well as various other unauthorized purchases.

Villarreal also allegedly accessed payroll information for several employees and former employees of the district to create fraudulent payroll statements that he sent to his personal bank account. The indictment claims that Villarreal would change the direct deposit information for employees and former employees, replacing the information with his own bank account’s direct deposit information.

Villarreal is being charged with one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and eight counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for count one and up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.