BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS (AP) -- The former judge at the heart of a four-year federal investigation of judicial corruption in South Texas has begun testifying in the federal trial in Brownsville of a South Texas lawyer indicted in the probe.
Former state District Judge Abel Limas took the stand Thursday as a prosecution witness against Port Isabel lawyer Ray Marchan, who is the first of a dozen people indicted in the case to go to trial.
Limas, the government's featured witness, pleaded guilty last year to racketeering and is awaiting sentencing.
Marchan faces seven counts, including racketeering and conspiracy. He's accused of paying Limas bribes totaling more than $11,000 in 2008.
On Wednesday, prosecutors showed jurors the $5,000 check for one of those alleged payments made out by Marchan to Limas' wife.
| Suspect | Role | Charged | Guilty Plea | Sentencing |
| | | | |
| Abel Limas | Judge | Mar 29, 2011 | Mar 31, 2011 | August 27th |
| Jose Manuel Longoria | Middleman | Mar 30, 2011 | Nov 21, 2011 | June 19th |
| Jose Santiago Solis | Attorney | April 29, 2011 | April 29, 2011 | August 22nd |
| Ray Roman Marchan | Attorney | June 21, 2011 | N/A | N/A |
| Francisco Cisneros | Bondsman | June 21, 2011 | Aug 8, 2011 | February 22nd |
| Armando Peña | Probationer | June 21, 2011 | July 19, 2011 | March 6th |
| Karina Peña | Wife | June 21, 2011 | July 26, 2011 | April 19th |
| Jaime Munivez | DA Investigator | July 19, 2011 | Dec 13, 2011 | May 30th |
| Joe Valle | Attorney | August 10, 2011 | Aug 10, 2011 | April 16th |
| Marc Rosenthal | Attorney | August 16, 2011 | N/A | N/A |
| | | | |
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