Former Port Isabel city secretary to be charged for missing taxi fees

SAN JUAN — City Secretary Nancy Davalos will likely face felony charges for allegedly stealing about $1,500 from the city of Port Isabel when she was employed there, Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos said.

Davalos, Port Isabel’s city secretary until early this summer, is suspected of stealing money from that city in May, just before she took her position with San Juan, Villalobos said.

The money she allegedly stole was from taxicab franchise fees that were supposed to be paid to the city.

Late last month, Davalos said she hoped to encourage San Juan to impose taxi cab fees.

Authorities learned of the suspected theft a few weeks ago, when Port Isabel officials noticed discrepancies in financial records, Villalobos said.

The Cameron County District Attorney’s office will probably file charges against Davalos within about a week, Villalobos said.

The San Juan City Commission held an executive session Monday night to discuss Davalos, who after the meeting said she had no comment on the allegations. She said she has not been fired from her position with San Juan.

San Juan City Attorney Javier Villalobos, Mayor San Juanita Sanchez and City Manager Willie Seguin could not be reached for comment late Monday night.

Port Isabel’s missing money is from fees the A-Taxi company owed, according to an article in the Island Breeze, which originally reported on the investigation.

Port Isabel City Commissioner Martin Cantu III told the Island Breeze that he sold the A-Taxi company to a man named Orlando Ochoa in December, but franchise fees Ochoa paid never appeared in the city’s books, even though he had a receipt signed by Davalos.

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