A former Laredo city council member filed a petition in Webb County District Court on May 10, 2026, seeking to remove Sheriff Martin Cuellar from office, citing a federal indictment and alleged mismanagement of the county jail [1]. The petitioner, Alfonso "Poncho" Casso, argues that Cuellar's continued service is incompatible with the public trust [1].
The federal indictment, unsealed in January 2026, charges Cuellar on five counts alleging he misappropriated Webb County resources during the COVID-19 pandemic [1]. Prosecutors allege Cuellar operated a private disinfecting company and directed county employees and equipment toward that company's work, including the completion of a $500,000 contract [1]. The charges implicate both the misuse of public funds and the exploitation of a public health emergency to generate private profit. The removal petition also separately alleges violations of the Texas Whistleblower Act, suggesting Cuellar or personnel acting under his authority retaliated against employees who reported misconduct [1].
Under Texas law, a district court may remove a county officer from office upon a finding of incompetency, official misconduct, or intoxication, among other grounds. A pending federal indictment does not automatically trigger removal, making Casso's civil petition the operative mechanism here. Casso, a former Laredo city council member, brought the petition in his capacity as a private citizen, a procedural posture Texas law expressly permits for removal actions against local officers [1].
Cuellar has not been convicted on the federal charges, and he retains the presumption of innocence in the criminal proceedings. Whether he contests the removal petition or seeks to delay proceedings pending resolution of the federal case will shape the near-term timeline in Webb County District Court. A successful removal action requires the district court to find that the grounds alleged, chiefly official misconduct, are established by competent evidence, a standard independent of the federal prosecution's outcome.
The parallel tracks, federal criminal prosecution and state civil removal, increase the legal pressure on Cuellar and could force him to assert Fifth Amendment protections in the civil proceeding. The next procedural milestones will be service of the petition, Cuellar's response deadline, and any preliminary hearing set by the district court [1].