CRYSTAL CITY — A South Texas mayor under a federal corruption indictment resigned from office on Friday after a recall petition was certified and he was arrested over a disturbance that disrupted a city council meeting.
In a letter of resignation submitted to the city clerk, Ricardo Lopez said his departure would take effect Friday afternoon.
“I appreciate the opportunities I have been given to be mayor of Crystal City. I wish all the citizens of Crystal City success in the future,” his letter stated.
Lopez and two city council members are named in a federal public corruption indictment returned earlier this month. Another council member has been charged with human trafficking.
Crystal City is the county seat of Zavala County, which in January 2015 entered into a federal court consent decree with the to clean up its voter rolls. The county had more than 100 percent of its age-eligible residents registered to vote.
Lopez was led from a city council meeting in handcuffs late Tuesday night after an apparent scuffle ended the gathering in pandemonium. The meeting, which was to schedule a recall election for him and two council members, ended prematurely after the mayor’s arrest cost the panel a quorum.
He was released from the Zavala County Jail the next day after posting a $12,000 bond. However, the rest of the Tuesday council meeting was postponed until Wednesday, then was canceled when Lopez didn’t attend and the group again lacked a quorum. Upon his release from jail, Lopez told reporters that he would attend no more council meetings.
