Three more Refugio city leaders have been indicted and arrested in relation to the misuse of money belonging to the Refugio Economic Development Corp.
A Refugio County grand jury indicted Mayor Pro Tem Ixtlazihuatl "Lala" Vasquez and former City Council members Michael Rocha and Frank Hosey on the same third-degree charge of abuse of official capacity on Aug. 11, according to the indictment records.
Arrest warrants were issued on Aug. 11, and all three turned themselves in to the Texas Rangers at the Refugio County Jail and were arrested on Aug. 13, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Rob Mallory confirmed in an email.
The bail amount for each person was to $25,000.
The indictments stem from an Oct. 27, 2025, vote to authorize the use of more
than $30,000 but less than $150,000 for the town's windstorm and terrorism insurance policies.
The approval of funds was not authorized under Texas law, and the indictment records claim the defendants knew this.
The new indictments focus on one vote whereas the indictments of Mayor Wanda Dukes and Town Secretary Callie Shreckengost relate to 19 transactions totaling more than $1 million in misused Refugio Economic Development Corp. funds.
Felicity Guajardo covers breaking news and public safety. Contact her at felicity.guajardo@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Three more Refugio city leaders accused of felony misuse of funds
