Travis County Tax Takers Title Tricks

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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Four employees with the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Office were arrested, along with three others, in a "really big organized scheme" regarding vehicle titles, according to state officials. 

Authorities were alerted in March 2018 to the possible fraudulent activities happening in the tax offices for Precinct 1 and Precinct 2 after an audit by the Travis County Auditor's Office. To investigate the anomalies, Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore requested help from the Texas Department of Public Safety. 

"This audit revealed some irregularities that were alarming," DPS Regional Commander Martin Freeman said. Investigators started reviewing videotapes from the two precinct offices in question. 

After more than two months of investigating, authorities arrested seven people. The four Travis County employees ranged from someone who had been there more than two decades to a couple of employees with only a few years with the office. DPS says one of the other suspects is the spouse of an employee. The suspects are:

• Shell Kenneth Prieto-Reese, 43, Theft by Public Servant - Employed as a Tax Specialist II and has been with the county since September 2008.
• Cathy Lynn Wilson, 57, Theft by Public Servant - Employed as a Tax Specialist III and has been with the county since December 1995
• Susie Alvarez Araujo, 43, Theft by Public Servant - Employed as a Tax Specialist II and has been with the county since April 2015
• Steven Hernandez, 35, Theft by Public Servant - Employed as a Tax Specialist I and has been employed with the county since July 2015
• Hipolita Tiquet De Dios, 41, Engaging in Organized Crime
• Cecil Leary, Jr., 61, Engaging in Organized Crime
• Eulalio Hernandez, 72, Engaging in Organized Crime

 

Clockwise from top left: Shell Kenneth Prieto-Reese, Cathy Lynn Wilson, Susie Alvarez Araujo, Steven Hernandez, Hipolita Tiquet De Dios, Cecil Leary, Jr., Eulalio Hernandez. (DPS)

 

Freeman says the suspects were minimizing the taxes they were paying on vehicle title transactions along with other violations. For example, if a vehicle was purchased for $20,000, the scheme would lower the value of the purchase price so the taxes owed on it would be lower. In some cases, the county employees would take bribes in exchange for a title that shouldn't have been assigned, Freeman explains.

"If you have an employee that doesn't have integrity and is taking bribes, they can pass stamped documents and sign titles that should not be assigned," Freeman says. 

Investigators also seized hard drives, cellphones, documents and $72,000 in cash. 

During the last legislative session, lawmakers approved funding and staff for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to establish its Compliance and Investigations Division. Executive Director of TxDMV Whitney Brewster says the new division was integral to this case. "The TxDMV takes reports of fraud waste and abuse very seriously. It's critically important to maintain the public's trust while conducting business on behalf of the state,"  Brewster says.

While the satellite offices remain closed, the TxDMV is providing support to help Travis County at its main Tax Assessor Collector's Office at 5501 Airport Blvd. 

 

 

[TwiceHorn 31703]

They also all seem to have extra large tites.