Democrat State Sen. Carlos Uresti (San Antonio) officially announced his resignation from the state legislature this morning, effective Thursday, after being found guilty on eleven felony charges earlier this year.
The move was widely expected. Shortly after Uresti’s conviction in March, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick stripped him of his committee assignments and the Senate Democrat Caucus asked for his resignation.
Though sentencing will take place next week, Uresti faces what could amount to decades in federal prison for his crimes, including several counts of both wire fraud and securities fraud, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
Uresti was put on trial last year for defrauding multiple investors in a company he was deeply involved in, FourWinds Logistics. Prosecutors argued the company was nothing but a front for a Ponzi scheme. One of the witnesses testifying against Uresti was a former mistress of his who accused Uresti of both having an affair with her and defrauding her of $900,000.
Uresti is not the only Texas Democrat lawmaker facing jail time. Last month, State Rep. Ron Reynolds (Missouri City) was denied a review of his 2015 conviction for illegal solicitation of legal services by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Reynolds will likely spend a year in prison for the offense.
State Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D–San Antonio) and former U.S. Congressman Pete Gallego have both announced their campaigns for the seat, months before Uresti’s resignation.
