Some charges dropped in El Paso corruption case

EL PASO, Texas — A federal judge in El Paso has thrown out bribery charges against a lawyer and a district clerk in a public corruption investigation.

Attorney and former El Paso County Judge Luther Jones and District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez are accused in an alleged scheme to award a contract.

U.S. District Court Judge Frank Montalvo, in an opinion released Wednesday, dismissed both bribery charges, as well as one count of mail fraud.

The ruling said Jones and Sanchez were indicted more than five years after those crimes allegedly occurred, beyond the statute of limitations.

Two felony conspiracy charges remain against Jones and Sanchez, who are free on bond.

Lawyers for Jones and Sanchez declined comment. Prosecutors also had no comment.

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