LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A judge has lowered the bond for a former Sunland Park official who faces fraud, kickback and bribery charges.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/JL55Cr) that District Judge Jacinto Palomino reduced Sunland Park's former Mayor-elect Daniel Salinas' bond from a $250,000 cash bond to a $100,000 secured bond.
Salinas has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
The charges stem from allegations that he set up a pyramid scheme with an El Paso businessman last fall to illegally bill Sunland Park between $10,000 to $20,000 for entertainment expenses and a campaign video for his mayoral bid.
Prosecutors also allege Salinas hired the city's acting police chief earlier this year on the condition that his sister not run for City Council against a Salinas political ally.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.