SAN ANTONIO – A former Reeves County judge accused of signing off on a deal for a jail contract in exchange for money from state Sen. Carlos Uresti pleaded guilty Monday to federal bribery and income tax-related charges.
Jimmy Galindo, 53, who was the Reeves County judge from January 1995 through December 2006, pleaded guilty in a San Antonio federal courtroom to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of failure to file income tax returns.
Galindo, who now lives in Selma, faces a maximum of five years in federal prison on the bribery charge and up to one year for the tax charge.
Court documents allege that Galindo gave a company owned by Lubbock businessman Vernon Farthing private information about pricing to provide medical services to inmates in the Reeves County Correctional Center. Farthing's company won the contract that was signed by Galindo in September 2006.
Uresti paid Galindo about $5,000 a month from monies the senator received from Farthing, court documents said.
Galindo, who is currently out on bond, will be sentenced Aug. 17.
Uresti and Farthing were indicted on bribery and money laundering charges. The senator was also indicted on charges related to a Ponzi scheme.
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