Former Castle Hills councilwoman charged with tampering records in 2019 sues city, mayor & police chief

Sylvia Gonzalez says she wants to clear her name after charges dropped

CASTLE HILLS, Texas – A former Castle Hills councilwoman charged with tampering with government records in July 2019 has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and other officials.

Sylvia Gonzalez, represented by the Institute for Justice, said she wants to clear her name.

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The lawsuit filed was filed Tuesday against the City of Castle Hills, Mayor JR Trevino and Police Chief John Siemens. It claims Gonzalez was a victim of retaliation and that her First Amendment rights were violated.

The misdemeanor tampering charge against Gonzalez was dropped after further investigation a month later. The police investigation was in connection with an alleged scheme against City Manager Ryan Rapelye and petition documents.

KSAT reached out to the city for a statement. The mayor said the city could not comment on pending litigation.


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Patty Santos joined the KSAT 12 News team in July 2017. She has a proven track record of reporting on hard-hitting news that affects the community.