Grand jury indicts Frio constable

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Investigation into county fuel card use

Rene Lozano

A month after Frio County Precinct 4 Constable Rene Lozano was arrested on a misdemeanor charge for abuse of official capacity, the elected official has been indicted by a grand jury.
The Monday, January 29, indictment was handed down after the grand jury charged that Lozano abused his power when he used a county-issued fuel card to fill up his personal vehicle.
Prior to Lozano’s arrest a report was made to the Texas Rangers after suspicious spending was discovered.
Constable Lozano, Pct. 2 Constable Rudy Ortegon and late Pct. 1 Constable Joe Ramirez had been awarded an additional $1,200 by the county for fuel and lubricants in July 2022.
At the time, Lozano had used all but $200 of his fuel allowance and reports showed that from October 2021 through July 2022, the constable had responded to 41 calls, 29 of which were traffic stops.
Records filed at the Frio County Jail show Lozano turned himself in to detention staff on Wednesday, November 8, and was released on a $5,000 personal bond later that day.
According to the Penal Code, Section 39.02, regarding abuse of official capacity, “a public servant commits an offense if, with intent to obtain a benefit or with intent to harm or defraud another, he intentionally or knowingly violates a law relating to the public servant’s office or employment; or misuses government property, services, personnel, or any other thing of value belonging to the government that has come into the public servant’s custody or possession by virtue of the public servant’s office or employment.”
If convicted, the constable could face up to a $4,000 fine and up to one year in jail.