A Rio Grand Valley lawmaker is expected to face a federal judge on Tuesday morning.
Texas State Rep. Tara Rios Ybarra (D-South Padre Island) surrendered to authorities last week for three counts of receiving illegal kickbacks.
The Valley lawmaker made her initial court appearance in Brownsville but is now expected to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Dorina Ramos at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Rios Ybarra maintains her innocence and is expected to plead "not guilty" in the case.
Court records show Rios Ybarra, McAllen oral surgeon Gary Schwarz and six others were named in a 16-page federal indictment back on June 15th.
Schwarz is accused of masterminding a scheme to file fraudulent claims for Medicaid patients ages 10 to 20 years old between January 2007 and April 2010.
The McAllen oral surgeon is also accused of paying out "kickbacks" to Rios Ybarra and four other Rio Grande Valley dentists.
According the indictment, Rios Ybarra works as a dentist in Brownsville where she received three checks totalling $12,293.95 from Schawrz's office between August 2008 and November 2008.
The accusations come as Rios Ybarra is set to leave office.
The Cameron County-based dentist lost her seat as District 43 State Represesntative to J.M. Lozano of Kingsville during the Democratic Party Primaries in March 2010.
District 43 includes Jim Hogg, Brooks, Kleberg, Kenedy, Willacy and part of Cameron County.
Lozano won the party nomination but still has to be elected in November.
Rios Ybarra is expected to hold on to the District 43 seat until January.
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