The chairwoman of the Texas Southmost College board of trustees started her third term on Tuesday amid lingering questions about her relationship with Sylvia P. Atkinson — a former Brownsville school board trustee convicted on bribery charges.

A jury convicted Atkinson on federal bribery charges after an eight-day trial. She's scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 9.

During the trial, federal prosecutors detailed how Atkinson and Texas Southmost College board Chairwoman Adela G. Garza discussed business deals with potential ethical problems.

Prosecutors caught Atkinson and Garza discussing the business deals on wiretaps.

In one conversation, Atkinson mentioned a company called "Sunshine Solutions," which would receive money from those business deals.

Documents filed with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts show Garza is the registered agent for the company.

One of the business deals they discussed involved a company called iTutor, which provided educational services.

Atkinson and Garza worked together to pitch iTutor to school districts, according to Yvette Ramos, an iTutor employee who testified at trial.

Atkinson used her influence as a school board trustee to arrange a meeting with Brownsville Assistant Superintendent Bertha Peña.

Ramos testified that she told Atkinson she needed to stay away from the meeting because she would earn a commission from the sale.

Prosecutors said Atkinson knew the deal was unethical. Atkinson told Garza that she would need to be the face of the company, according to transcripts of recorded phone conversations.

Peña, the assistant superintendent, said Brownsville ultimately decided not to purchase the iTutor product.

If she had know that Atkinson would profit from the deal, Peña said she would have told Atkinson it was wrong.

Channel 5 News contacted Garza for comment on the transcripts and trial testimony. She did not respond.

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