A Trevino running again for Houston's East End Constable

Less than year after Silvia Trevino stood by her husband Victor in a Harris County criminal courtroom as he pleaded guilty in a public corruption case, she is running for her husband's old job as constable of Precinct 6.

"I pleaded guilty because I am guilty," Victor Trevino said Nov. 17, just before District Criminal Court Judge Susan Brown handed down a sentence of 10 years probation, a fine and 150 hours of community service.

He resigned minutes after entering his guilty plea.

Victor Trevino held the job since 1988, and with 'Trevino' campaign signs sprouting up throughout Houston's East End and with Victor and Silvia Trevino participating in parades and community events, you might think nothing has changed.

"Some people would sulk and sit around and get fat," said political consultant Marc Campos, who ran Victor Trevino's last campaign. "He continued to go out there."

Victor Trevino's guilty plea was for misapplication of fiduciary property, a third-degree felony, in connection with the constable's charity created to help kids and seniors in the largely Hispanic district.

During his trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Victor Trevino misused between $20,000 and $100,000 of charity funds.

Victor Trevino took checks from the charity, cashed them at an East End convenience store, and days later took large amounts of cash to Louisiana casinos, using some of the charity's money to gamble, prosecutors showed.

In addition, Victor Trevino told the grand jury he never went to the casinos without his wife.

"My wife and I are the only ones who ever went to the casinos," he told the grand jury. "I never went by myself and she never went by herself."

As part of the case against Victor Trevino, prosecutors submitted calendars detailing 10 casino trips over several years days or sometimes hours after charity checks were cashed or charity fundraisers held.

His lawyer disputed the exact amounts played at the casino.

Silvia Trevino, a former law enforcement officer, was never charged with any wrongdoing or called as a witness.

Will voters remember the scandal surrounding Victor Trevino?

"He pled out and he's serving the first year of 10 years on probation, but she's the one who will run the office," Campos said.

As of today, it's impossible for the public to know if Silvia Trevino knew that the money she was gambling with may have been charity proceeds. The family's well-known criminal defense attorney, Chip Lewis, said that Silvia Trevino declined comment to Eyewitness News,

And Campos says voters may go against conventional wisdom and ignore the controversy.

"After 40 years in politics, nothing surprises me," he said.

Trevino won't be alone in the race for Precinct 6 Constable. It is anticipated the field will be crowded and will likely include the man appointed to fill Victor Trevino's term, Heliodoro Martinez.

The election for the job will be held November 2016, but most races in the heavily Democratic East End are decided in the party primary in March.