A former trustee for the Weslaco Independent School District (WISD) has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe in exchange for using his official capacity to influence the award of a contract on a school renovation project, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. Joe Marines, 55, of Weslaco, Texas, pleaded guilty today to a Hobbs Act violation. Marines admitted that in August 2006, while serving as a trustee for WISD and the district was involved in the bidding process for the renovation of Roosevelt Elementary School, he met with an FBI informant who was soliciting a contract on the project. Marines admitted he received $500 in exchange for Marines exerting his influence as a trustee to award a subcontracting job on the project. Later that same month, the FBI informant paid Marines an additional $1000 for the same purpose. A conviction for a violation of the Hobbs Act is punishable by no more than 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District J...