Texas Judge Arrested and Charged With Bribery

A Texas state district court judge has been arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI San Antonio Division.

Rodolfo “Rudy” Delgado, 64, of Edinburg, Texas, is currently the presiding judge for the 93rd District Court for the State of Texas and has jurisdiction over Texas criminal and civil cases located within Hidalgo County. He was charged in a criminal complaint with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Authorities took Delgado into custody on Friday. He made his initial appearance earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker, at which time he was permitted release upon posting $100,000 bond.

The criminal complaint alleges Delgado accepted bribes from an attorney in exchange for favorable judicial consideration on criminal cases pending in his courtroom. Delgado allegedly accepted bribes on three separate occasions in exchange for Delgado agreeing to release three clients on bond with cases pending before his court. The first two bribes allegedly totaled approximately $520 in cash. The third bribe occurred in January 2018, at which time Delgado accepted approximately $5,500 in cash, according to the charges.  

The FBI conducted the investigation. Trial Attorneys Peter Nothstein and Todd Gee of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie N. Searle and Robert Guerra of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.