Years after charges were filed, a federal bribery trial went underway Tuesday.

The case stems from an alleged bribery scheme linked to a Weslaco water plant and several officials.

As previously reported, former Weslaco City Commissioner John Cuellar, his uncle former Hidalgo County Commissioner Arturo Cuellar, Rio Grande City attorney Daniel Garcia and Weslaco businessman Richard Quintanilla are all named in a 2019 indictment that accused the officials of conspiring to make money illegally off of the public service.

During the first day of trial, former Weslaco Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Walker testified and went over several pages of Weslaco city council minutes and agendas. 

The testimony went back several years – starting with when the city first received notices that raised concerns over the quality of the city’s water plant – all the way to the previous decade, when the city started taking action to address the concerns.

Cuellar and Quintanilla are accused of using bribes and influence with Weslaco city commissioners in order to choose specific companies for these projects. 

The trial resumes Wednesday, October 12.