HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — The assistant chief for the Webb County Sheriff’s Office suddenly retired after the FBI launched a probe into his business earlier this week.
Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar on Thursday told Border Report that Assistant Chief Ricardo “Rick” Rodriguez resigned Tuesday as second-in-command of the peace-keeping force.
His retirement came after the FBI on Monday raided the sheriff’s department offices in the South Texas border town of Laredo. At the time, Cuellar said Rodriguez was the “focus” of the raid and his department was cooperating.
On Thursday, Cuellar said his staff is continuing to work with the FBI with whatever they need.
“Everything is good. There’s nothing to report,” Cuellar told Border Report. “We’re cooperating with them. I don’t have a problem with it and it’s one of those things.”
In a Facebook post on Monday, Cuellar said the FBI probe centers around Rodriguez’s disinfecting company, Disinfect ProMaster, which Rodriguez operated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cuellar said federal agents specifically asked him questions about his own employees going to daycares, churches, and county buildings to disinfect. He explained that this service was provided through the Sheriff’s Office and not through Rodriguez’s company, according to a statement by Cuellar’s office.
“While under my command, I can attest that Assistant Chief Rick Rodriguez was a true public servant. I witnessed first-hand how many people he helped, both as a United ISD board member and as a member of the Sheriff’s Office team. I wish him the best on his retirement,” Cuellar said in a statement Wednesday.
Rodriguez also serves as a board trustee for the United Independent School District, which has 43,000 students and 44 campuses.
The UISD, has called a special meeting on Thursday night to discuss a “no-confidence vote” in Rodriguez and to discuss requesting his resignation. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. CT.
