Former county chief of staff John Travis Ketner -- who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges implicating elected county leaders, lawyers, and businesses -- entered his guilty pleas last week in a closed San Antonio courtroom, officials said and documents show.

U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo from El Paso accepted the pleas after apparently traveling to San Antonio on Friday afternoon. Montalvo heard other cases in El Paso early Friday.

Federal authorities have been keeping information about Ketner a secret for unknown reasons.

Officials have yet to explain why Ketner was not brought before a judge in El Paso and they won't say if he was booked into jail or whether he is in federal custody.

It's not known if the federal government has offered him protection in exchange for testimony against others.

Ketner pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Kevin Frye, a courtroom deputy for a U.S. District judge in San Antonio, said the pleas took place in a closed courtroom in San Antonio.

"All I can tell you is it was a sealed matter," said Frye.

Frye filed the 18-page document highlighting Ketner's charges with the U.S. District Court in San Antonio. The document was signed by AssistantU.S. Attorney Debra Kanof of El Paso.

Kanof could not be reached for comment.

The document, called an "information," describes how county officials allegedly sought bribes from vendors, received secret campaign donations, met in a bathroom and restaurants and broke into a computer in an attempt to rig court cases.

Co-conspirators

The document also refers to 17 uncharged co-conspirators.

Although unnamed, they are designated in ways that make most of their identities easy to determine and include County Judge Anthony Cobos, county Commissioners Luis Sariñana, Miguel Téran, former Commissioner Betti Flores and prominent lawyers Luther Jones, David Escobar and Martie Jobe.

Dick Schwein, who retired as El Paso's FBI agent-in-charge 11 years ago, said the co-conspirators may be under serious investigation now.

"You can presume you are looking at a list of future indictees -- all, some or most," Schwein said. "That is, you can presume they will be indicted at some point."

As for why Ketner would have pleaded guilty to charges so quickly and without being indicted, Schwein said he had an idea of what happened May 15 when the FBI interviewed Ketner privately while agents searched officials' offices at the El Paso County courthouse.

"I would say the agents had a come-to-Jesus meeting with Travis that day and gave him their first-in, first-out pitch," Schwein said. "They usually make an offer that the first one to cooperate gets the best treatment and a lesser sentence."

By pleading guilty to four conspiracy charges, Schwein said, Ketner will be in a position to testify against others who may be charged with the same offenses.

Ketner faces up to five years in federal prison on the bribery conspiracy count and up to 20 years in prison on each of the three other charges.

A sentencing date has not been set.

Ketner resigned last month as chief of staff to Cobos just days after the FBI raided the county offices of Cobos, Sariñana and Terán. Terán's Lower Valley home also was searched.

Ketner is one of 22 people or businesses named in an FBI warrant used to search county offices.

Asked to resign

Cobos, Sariñana and Terán were asked to resign Monday at the weekly Commissioners Court meeting.

"I am very concerned about the cloud that now hangs over the judge and the two other commissioners," Lisa Turner told Commissioners Court during the public comment portion. "Judge Cobos, Commissioner Sariñana, Commissioner Terán, I think it's the best thing and the most honorable thing you can do for our county of El Paso and the supporters who put you in office if you resign by end of business today."

Cobos became angered by her statements.

"I am so shocked and so disappointed that that suggestion came up. Never would I ever imagine that local politics could become so vicious and that's what we have in our community now," he said. "I will not do as you suggested, and the truth will prevail."

Cobos said the alleged conspiracy and FBI investigation was created by his adversaries.

"There are many people in this community with so much money and so much power. If I rubber stamped what they wanted to do this never would have happened," Cobos said. "People elected me to do the right thing. To run and hide would not be the thing to do. The thing to do would be to be very strong and open."

Turner said she first became concerned when the FBI raided county offices last month, but was pushed to speak up after learning of the charges Ketner pleaded guilty to and the extent of the conspiracy.

"I was ashamed. This is my government. These are the people I put my faith in to do the right thing," she said after the meeting. "What Mr. Cobos said shows that he's putting himself first and not the county. Somebody has to call for the resignations and it has to be the public."

Cobos declined to speak with reporters after Monday's meeting, which was tense and tumultuous.

Sariñana declined to comment on the issue after the meeting except to say, "I sleep comfortable at night."

Terán said he does not intend to resign.

"I have never asked for nor otherwise received a bribe in exchange for a vote," he said. "I hope I will be cleared of all accusations."

He said he has been very concerned since the allegations were made.

"Anybody that's involved in anything like this would feel very devastated," he said.

During later discussion Monday about Western Playland's contract with the county, David Chavez, a resident who lives near Ascarate Park, addressed the court. When he began asking whether any of the commissioners had received bribes, he was cut off by Cobos.

"You are out of line and I will not allow your ridiculous comment," Cobos said.

After a brief exchange, Chavez stormed out.

"That's the only forum there is to ask a direct question because he refers everything to his lawyers. It's the only forum to ask whether or not he took a bribe or has ever been offered a bribe," Chavez said. "It was the only forum I saw as a chance to get him on record. If I hadn't done anything wrong right there and then I would have said I have never been offered a bribe or taken a bribe ... I was looking to get a straight answer from the man."

Voicing concerns

Commissioner Veronica Escobar said she plans to reinforce her efforts to voice concerns when county decisions look suspicious.

"I am going to work hard and be productive," she said.

Also Monday, in a reaction to the recent criminal allegations, Commissioner Dan Haggerty was hesitant to approve any bid awards without the requesting department heads and the competing vendors present.

"In light of recent developments with regards to vendors, with regards to bids ... I'd like to start talking to some vendors," he said.

He asked that the purchasing department begin inviting bidders and department heads to the meetings.

"That letter was all about four counts of screwing with vendors, shaking them down and telling them they would be beholden," Haggerty said. "It's pretty amazing we've been approving the bids."

He also joked that everyone at the county was so nervous that he wouldn't even be talking to anyone without a witness anymore.

"I'm not even going to go to the bathroom alone," he said.

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