A sentencing hearing, which was set to be held on July 25, for local political consultant Mina Colin Strother, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in March, was continued until the week of May 12, 2025.
According to a motion to continue sentencing presented in the United States District Court Southern District of Texas Houston Division, the prosecutor’s office requested the continuance “in light of Mr. Strother’s ongoing cooperation.”
As previously reported by the Hays Free Press, Strother, a resident of Buda, who owns and operates Strother & Company, a political consulting company, acted as campaign manager and chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo from February 2016 through at least December 2019. In this position, Strother funneled money from another consultant to Henry in a manner to avoid U.S. Rep. "having to disclose it in his publicly filed annual financial disclosures.”
Strother’s plea agreement was based on his commitment to cooperate with the United States to provide all information relating to any criminal activity known to him, “including but not limited to, conspiring to launder proceeds of a criminal activity, namely bribery.”
On April 30, 2024, Henry and Imelda Cuellar were indicted on charges of accepting bribes from Azerbaijan’s state-run oil and gas company and a Mexican bank.
According to the motion, “Mr. Strother continues to cooperate with the United States in an ongoing investigation and may testify in an upcoming trial against co-conspirators.”
He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss, whichever is greater.
