Texas State Sen. Carlos Uresti Turns Himself In To FBI On Fraud, Corruption Charges

SAN ANTONIO, TX — State Sen. Carlos Uresti, a Democrat from San Antonio, turned himself in to FBI officials Wednesday morning after being indicted by a federal grand jury on 13 criminal charges in two separate cases, according to reports.

The longtime legislator endured the indignity of appearing in court in handcuffs after turning himself in to answer the charges against him. He and two co-conspirators appeared in court, also handcuffed, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad in federal court in San Antonio.

Uresti, 53, has denied fraud charges related to his involvement in a now-bankrupt San Antonio oil-field services company named FourWinds Logistics and has rejected accusations of public corruption in Reeves County in a separate case.

Related story: Texas State Sen. Carlos Uresti Indicted On Several Federal Criminal Charges

“The charges against me are groundless and I look forward to proving my innocence in a court of law at the appropriate time,” Uresti said in a prepared statement. “I will enter a plea of not guilty and immediately return to work representing District 19.”

Uresti’s two co-defendants in the FourWinds indictment, former CEO Stanley P. Bates, 45, and company consultant Gary L. Cain, 60, also turned themselves in at around 8 a.m., according to local media reports.

>>> Photo of Carlos Uresti via Texas Senate website