The Texas border town sheriff and brother of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who was pardoned by President Trump earlier this year after the Biden Justice Department indicted him on federal bribery charges, is now facing his own public corruption charges.

Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar Jr. was indicted after he and his assistant chief, Alejandro Gutierrez, allegedly used public funds, staff and resources to run a for-profit disinfecting business called Disinfect Pro Master during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Justice Department (DOJ). 

Disinfect Pro Master entered into service agreements with local businesses, even a school district, but allegedly never had any employees or supplies of its own. The school district contract secured Cuellar and Gutierrez a half million dollars, but the DOJ said they completed the work using county staff and resources. 

Cuellar is a border town sheriff out of Laredo, Texas, which is also part of his brother’s congressional district. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife were recently pardoned by President Trump after they were accused by the Biden administration DOJ of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan government-controlled oil and gas company and a Mexico City-headquartered bank. 

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In a statement released by the sheriff after he appeared in court this week, Cuellar vehemently defended himself and insisted that he would be “fully vindicated.”

“Over the course of my career — as a Texas State Trooper, a narcotics Sergeant investigator, Narcotics Lieutenant and now as your Sheriff — I have learned the difference between what is right and what is wrong, and I know what I did and did not do,” the statement says. 

“While this process moves forward, I ask the public to let the facts — not rumors, not speculation — guide their judgement. My responsibility remains the same as it was yesterday and the day before. … I remain fully engaged in my duties and in communication with the community. Public safety does not pause, and neither does my commitment to this office.”

Congressman Cuellar’s office also released a statement echoing his brother’s comments, adding that he has “a deep respect for the law” and would be vindicated in the end. 

“Under our constitution, he is innocent until proven guilty,” the congressman’s statement said. “My brother Martin has served our community as a peace officer for more than forty years with integrity, professionalism, and a deep respect for the law. He is an honest man.”

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If convicted, Sheriff Cuellar could face up to 10 years in federal prison and could incur up to a $250,000 fine. Cuellar was also charged with money laundering, which would carry an additional maximum 10-year sentence and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of money involved in the transactions, according to the DOJ.

President Trump previously said he had pardoned Congressman Cuellar because he believed the Biden DOJ had been weaponized against him for speaking out against the former president’s open border policies. Trump also indicated he was influenced by a letter from the congressman’s daughter urging him to grant her father and mother clemency. 

However, after Cuellar decided a few days later to run for re-election as a Democrat, the president had some choice words for him. 

“Such a lack of LOYALTY,” Trump subsequently posted on his platform, Truth Social.

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When reached for comment, the White House referred Fox News Digital to the Justice Department.

“The Cuellar Crime Family will screw over small businesses and local schools if it means enriching themselves,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Zachary Kraft said.

“South Texans deserve leaders focused on serving taxpayers, not those focused on finding new ways to illegally funnel money into their own pockets,” he continued. “Voters are going to send a strong message in November that they’ve had enough of the family who puts their self-interests above South Texas values.” 

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville argued Thursday that Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett is not a viable candidate, suggesting that some of her controversial statements will come back to bite her in elections.

“Politics War Room” podcast co-host Carville has been outspoken for years about how the Democratic Party’s tone on various issues has lost them elections. Previously, he criticized Crockett by arguing she talks more about herself than she does about voters, something he considers to be breaking a cardinal rule in politics.

On an episode of their podcast published Thursday, co-host Al Hunt read a question from a listener asking why Carville thinks Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is a better candidate than Crockett for the Texas Senate race.

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“Crockett has said that Hispanics who voted for Trump have a slave mentality. That’s not very smart. That will bite you in the a– in a general election,” Carville said. 

Crockett compared Hispanic Trump supporters concerned about illegal immigration to people who have a “slave mentality” in a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair. In December, Crockett attempted to walk these comments back during an interview on CNN.

He went on to say, in the interests of “anybody that has any sense of humanity,” that “she made fun of Greg Abbott — who is a comical figure — but not because he’s a comical figure and an intellectual dope, but because he was actually in a wheelchair. That’s not right.”

“That’s just trying to do some online fundraising with some Seattle fanatic progressives,” he argued of her controversial comment.

Crockett had referred to wheelchair-bound Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “Governor Hot Wheels,” which earned her bipartisan backlash. She said afterward she was merely “thinking about the planes, trains and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable.”

Carville went on to argue that not only is Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico more viable, he would probably vote for the same progressive agenda.

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“I’m for Jim Talarico for, you know, I think Jim’s a great guy and all of that, but, basically, I would be for anybody that I thought had the best chance of winning,” Carville said. “And it’s clear to me that Jim would have a much, much better chance of winning the general election than Jasmine Crockett. 

“I don’t think Jasmine’s a bad person. And, by the way, I don’t think there’s much difference in how they would vote. I don’t think you get much different product, but if you don’t win, you hadn’t done s—.

“So, if you want to win the election, if that’s important to you, as it is to me, then you got to be for Jim Talarico,” Carville said. “It’s that simple.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Rep. Crockett for comment.

A Texas police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty while trying to apprehend a wanted fugitive, according to authorities. 

Copperas Cove Police Officer Elijah Garretson, a 27-year-old New Hampshire native, was fatally wounded while attempting to arrest a fugitive who was wanted for engaging in organized criminal activity and failing to appear in court on Jan. 10, Texas State Sen. Pete Flores, whose district includes Copperas Cove, said in a Facebook post. 

According to Flores, Garretson and two other officers got into a scuffle with the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Jamison Cavazos, as they tried to apprehend him. 

Officials said Cavazos then shot Garretson during the attempted arrest and fled the scene, where he later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers closed in on his second location following a lengthy negotiation attempt. Authorities recovered two pistols in his possession, Flores said.

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Garretson was subsequently transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. 

“This officer placed his life in harm’s way trying to protect public safety and paid the ultimate price,” Flores, chairman of the Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, said. “This loss is a tragic reminder of the courageous sacrifice that our law enforcement officers face every day.”

The Texas Rangers are conducting an investigation into Garretson’s death.

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Garretson grew up in New Hampshire and later joined the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Fort Hood and rose to the rank of Sergeant before leaving in June 2024, FOX 7 reported.

Following his departure from the Army, Garretson entered the police academy and graduated as the Academic Honor Graduate of his class in June 2025. He was also celebrated for helping to save a fellow cadet’s life when they experienced cardiac arrest, according to FOX 7.

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He reportedly leaves behind a wife and 5-year-old daughter. 

The Copperas Cove Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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“During this difficult time, our thoughts are with his loved ones, colleagues at the Copperas Cove Police Department, and all those affected by this tragedy,” the New Hampshire State Police said in a Facebook post. “He will never be forgotten.”