Attorney says Brownsville, Texas mayor made ‘innocent mistake’ in depositing $26,000 check

Attorney defends Texas mayor’s $26,000 deposit

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Prosecutors say the outspoken mayor of a Texas border town deposited a $26,000 check intended for a vendor in his own bank account and spent more than $5,000 over three weeks.

But Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada’s attorney said at the mayor’s trial on Tuesday that it was “an innocent mistake” and the mayor would never intentionally deposit a check made out to someone else.

The attorney says Ahumada asked his bank to return the money to the city and investigate who deposited the check.

The 57-year-old mayor is charged with abuse of official capacity, misapplication of fiduciary property and theft.

Ahumada is known for his vocal criticism of the border fence. He presides over a city of more than 170,000 in the southern tip of Texas.