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Six suspects accused in a public corruption case involving former Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy faced a judge on Tuesday.

Most of the suspects were emotionless as the judge read them their rights.

But suspect Alexi Leos turned her head as she wiped away a tear as she cried silently before Judge Ismael Ochoa at the Hidalgo County Jail.

Leos is charged with helping former Handy and eight others steal at least $70,000 dollars from county coffers.

Court documents state that Leos, Eloisa Uriegas, Beatriz Garcia, Tanya Moreno, Maria de Jesus Caudillo and Ricardo Delgado were all involved with the scheme.

Most of their bonds were set at over $100,000 dollars.

According to investigators, the county auditor's office had received information that Precinct 1 employees had been collecting paychecks but were not actually working there.

The “phantom employees” had allegedly turned their paychecks over to the former commissioner Handy.

Those missing from the arraignment were Handy and three alleged co-conspirators who remain at large.

Those three suspects were identified as Doroteo Landa, Jose Hernandez and James Buchanan.

Investigators believe Landa is in Mexico while the other two may be out of the state.