Former county employee charged with tampering with government documents

As part of an ongoing investigation by police and state agencies, Yobana Ofelia Solano-Sequeira, 29, a now former employee in the Hays County Tax Assessor- Collector’s Office was arrested Thursday and charged with tampering with governmental records, an adult felony.

A review of data collected from the Hays County Jail Records website stated that Solano-Sequeira was brought before Justice of the Peace Precinct 1-Place 2 Maggie H. Moreno as magistrate in the proceeding and she was allowed to post a $2,000 personal recognizance bond and was released.

No attorney for Salano- Sequeira was listed in the initial jail and case records.

According to Texas.gov and the Texas penal code section 37.10, tampering with governmental records is defined as a crime when an individual possesses, sells or offers to sell a governmental record or a blank governmental record form with the intent that it be used unlawfully and/or possesses, sells, or offers to sell a governmental record or a blank governmental record form with knowledge that it was obtained unlawfully. The Daily Record at time of press could not confirm that the records in question were related to DMV vehicle license plates.

When contacted for confirmation regarding the status of an audit and clarification of the employment status of Solano-Sequeira, Hays County Tax Assessor-Collector Jenifer O’Kane in an email stated, “Yobana Solano is a former employee of the tax office, and I am aware of her arrest,” O’Kane said. “A former employee of the Hays County Tax Assessor Collector's Office was arrested today in relation to her activities as a Hays County employee. I am grateful for the diligent efforts of law enforcement in this case. We have been cooperating with law enforcement but cannot comment any further at this time, as the investigation is ongoing. I do, however, want to ensure the citizens of Hays County–and the taxing units for which we collect– that absolutely no public funds were affected with these alleged activities. All funds have been and continue to be safeguarded and accounted for. No other employees of the Tax Assessor-Collector were implicated in this investigation, which appears to be focused on the alleged actions of one individual.”

Hays County Auditor Marisol Villareal Alonzo in reply to a Daily Record request for comment, stated, “The audit is being performed by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and is an ongoing criminal investigation. I met with the Tax Assessor- Collector and my office is examining monthly receipts to verify that all public funds are accounted for.”

As of time of press, the Daily Record was in the process of determining what state officials are investigating with regard to the various activities that allegedly occurred and the extent to which other individuals are involved.

Various officials stated that both the Texas Rangers and the DMV are working on the investigation.

The Daily Record reached out to the Texas Rangers for comment but had not received a reply at time of press.

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson Adam Shaivitz did respond with the following statement.

“We cannot discuss details of an open investigation at this time. But, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is aware of concerns with the actions of a former employee with the Hays County Tax Assessor- Collector's Office.

“Department staff have been cooperating with both county office leadership and law enforcement investigating the issue. Department staff are conducting compliance reviews of all office operations to ensure the actions were limited to a single county employee.”