Trial of Former Police Chief Tim Vasquez Delayed Until September

LUBBOCK, TX — Covid-19 has not helped former San Angelo Police Chief Tim Vasquez receive a speedy trial. In a court order handed down at the end of May, the Vasquez trial is postposed until September 13 to give the defense time to digest the “voluminous discovery” provided by the U.S. Attorney.

Vasquez was indicted January 8, 2020, on federal charges. He is accused by the feds of accepting $134,000 in bribes paid through hiring his band, Funky Munky, in return for advocating for “Vendor 1” to be awarded $13 million in contracts for a new public safety radio system for the City of San Angelo over about 10 years. Formally, he faces four charges: One count of receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds and three counts of honest services mail fraud.

Vasquez served as San Angelo’s elected chief of police from 2004 until he was defeated in 2016 by current Police Chief Frank Carter. His final year as chief, Vasquez was elected the president of the Texas Police Chiefs Association.

Federal District Judge James Wesley Hendrix who is presiding over Vasquez’s docket and trial declared last year that the case was complex. Because of this designation, the judge has ruled at least twice prior to the May 28 ruling that the ends of justice outweigh Vasquez’s right to to a speedy trial, as both defense and prosecutors are agreeable to the delays. Vasquez was set to go on trial the first week of June.

Vasquez’s attorney, David Guinn noted in court filings that the current Covid-19 social distancing requirements at the federal courthouse in Lubbock are “tremendous” and “a trial at this time would be needlessly lengthy and unwieldy.” Guinn said the Covid-19 restrictions that just now being lifted made face-to-face meetings with potential witnesses difficult and witnesses still need to be contacted.

Pretrial motions and the defendant’s discovery are due August 16. Responses to any pretrial motions are due August 30. Pretrial documents are due a few days later on September 3. The trial will commence September 13 at 9 a.m. at the United States District Court in Lubbock. Until the trial, Vasquez remains free on bond.