RGV Politician Faces Jail Time

McALLEN, Texas (AP) _ A federal magistrate is considering whether to revoke the bond of a Hidalgo County commissioner indicted last spring on charges of harboring illegal immigrants.

Prosecutors say Commissioner Sylvia Handy has tried to bribe government witnesses.

Hidalgo County’s first elected female county commissioner has been on 24-hour house arrest since the allegations of witness tampering were first described to the court Nov. 23.

Handy was arrested with her husband in April. The indictment alleged that the illegal immigrants collected county salaries but only performed house work for Handy. According to the indictment, some of the county salaries also went toward paying a $53,000 bill-consolidation loan Handy took out in 2004.

Handy’s trial is scheduled for January.

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