ALPINE, Texas — Ernesto Villarreal, a 42-year-old man and former employee of the Valentine Independent School District, was arrested for allegedly misappropriating school district funds fraudulently, according to a press release from The United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas.
The release further stated that Villarreal misused credit cards issued by VISD for hundreds of personal expenses for travel, lodging, home improvement, hardware store purchases, cell phone bills, fuel, oil changes and convenience store purchases, as well as university tuition payments.
It was noted that Villarreal also accessed payroll information for several employees and former employees of the district in order to have fraudulent payments sent to his personal bank account.
Villarreal is 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 wire fraud count.