On August 21, 2019, Anna Gonzales, retired Wilson County Tax Assessor Collector, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Judge Donna Rayes to the charge of Securing Execution of a Document by Deception. On that day she also paid over $17,000 in back taxes owed to the county.
The District Attorney’s office did not enter into a plea bargain agreement with Ms. Gonzales, so her plea of guilty subjected her to the full range of punishment which included between six months to two years in state prison or up to five years of probation, and up to a $10,000 fine.
Gonzales’ defense attorney argued that his client should receive no prison time due to her age, failing health, and lack of criminal history.
As your elected District Attorney, it was my duty to argue that she serve prison time because that was justice in this case. Public officials who commit crimes by abusing their position and power need to be held to a higher standard. Anna Gonzales violated the trust of her constituents, her employees, and her family.
While many in our community work hard to save and pay their property taxes, Gonzales took advantage of her position by manipulating the computer system in her office allowing her to avoid paying taxes for well over a decade.
At the end of today’s hearing, the judge sentenced Gonzalez to the full five years of probation, assessed a $10,000 fine, and ordered her to turn herself in to Wilson County jail tomorrow to await transport to an Intermediate Sanction Facility (ISF). The ISF is a lock-down, prison-like facility where Gonzalez will stay for the next 45 to 120 days. In addition, Gonzales was ordered to write a letter of apology to the citizens of Wilson County within 30 days and that the letter be published in the local newspapers as well as on the Wilson County website. Gonzales was ordered to pay all outstanding fines and penalties to date, perform 100 hours of community service, and attend an anti-theft class.
We are thankful to Dawn Barnett, the current Wilson County Tax Assessor and attorney Jeffrey Garcia of Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson Law Firm for uncovering this abuse as well as the assistance of the Texas Rangers.
My office will continue to work with the Texas Rangers and all other investigative agencies to assure the citizens of this district that local corruption will be uncovered, stopped, and prosecuted fully.
