Wed Oct 16, 2024
Fraudsters often cloak themselves in resoectability. This is the case for Kenneth Ken FLores and his father Antonio Tony FLores. Tehy created a janitorial service at Military Hospitals. Both have served as Rey Freo during Fiesta in 1996 and 2018. The two sentenced took bribes to direct busines to former Fiesta Royalty.
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Two former Army civilian workers each have been sentenced to three years in federal prison for their roles in a scheme to defraud the government of $140 million that involved a San Antonio company with Fiesta royalty ties.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sentenced Karisa Waysepappy Kelley and John Jordan “Chip” Mathes to three years each in federal prison. Biery ordered them to report Jan. 13 to begin serving their terms.
Both defendants had admitted to taking kickbacks from members of a family that owned a janitorial services firms holding Army contracts.
“There are three things that get prosecuted in federal court: Greed, addiction or sex,” Biery told the pair as they stood before him their lawyers. “Which one got you here?”
“Greed, sir,” Mathes said.
“A little bit of everything,” Kelley told the judge.
The pair pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud conspiracy charges after they admitted steering Army contracts for housekeeping and janitorial services at military hospitals to two companies — Helpful Hands Inc. and Allegiance Environmental Services — run by Kenneth “Ken” Flores and his father, Antonio “Tony” Flores Jr.
The Flores men each have served as Rey Feo during San Antonio’s annual Fiesta celebration, becoming the ceremonial face of the local charitable foundation that raises money for scholarships.
Tony Flores held the title in 1996, and his son Ken wore the sash and crown in 2018.
The younger Flores was sentenced to four years in prison early in September. His older brother Christopher received a two-year term. Their mother, Irma Flores, was sentenced to five years of probation for lesser roles in the scheme.
Ken Flores began an affair with Kelley in 2015, according to court records in which prosecutors detailed he was “sexting” and giving gifts to another employee while seeing her.
When they pleaded guilty in February, Kelley and Mathes each acknowledged taking more than $54,000 in the bid-rigging scheme. Irma, Ken and Christopher Flores admitted the sums were considerably more — $216,719 to Mathes and $57,097 to Kelley. The money went to “consulting” businesses the workers formed as they left their government jobs, according to court documents.
Biery gave the defendants at Tuesday’s sentencing the opportunity to apologize to family and friends who accompanied them to court.
“I knew right away what I did, and I had to fix it,” Mathes said to his wife, daughter and a granddaughter who attended his sentencing.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” Kelley said to the court.
Prosecutors had asked the judge to give Mathes and Kelley between 41 months and 51 months in prison. Biery set the penalty at 36 months for each, telling them they had squandered “a position of higher responsibility.”
Professor Elam 
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