Just as the Cameron County Commissioners Court was getting ready to take ove rthe commissary contract at the county's corrections facilities, Sheriff Omar Lucio has approved the extension of an amended contract to local attorney Rick E. Zayas and his partner in Snakre Vending, Ruben Cortez.
Zayas, who has been on a losing streak politically, stands to make hundreds of thousands of dollars through the duration of the contract. Cortez, a high school graduate, got himself elected this past November to the District 2 position with the Texas State School Board of Education.
Snakre is managed by Zaycor Management Company.Zayas, an attorney, is a former Brownsville Independent School District trustee owns Snakre Vending along with Cortez, another former BISD trustee. Zayas and Cortez are the directors of Zaycor Management.
In 2010, Lucio awarded a new contract for three years with an option for renewal for an additional two years. He had the option of deciding whether to go out for bids, continue to award the contract to Snakre, or simply award the contract to any company he/she wants. 
The commissary contract, even before the 2010 version was adopted, has proven lucrative to Snakre, according to county auditor records. In 2008, annual commissary sales totaled $847,129. Snakre received a total of $697,260 or 82.3 percent of gross sales. The rest, according to the sheriff’s department, was spent on “behalf of inmates.”
Annual commissary sales for the fiscal year 2009 were $925,512, including sales taxes collected," the audit report prepared by the Cameron County Auditor states. "Payments to the commissary vendor was $765,732, consisting of reimbursed sales tax collections of $43,665; reimbursed costs of goods sold of $348,767; and $373,300 or 70 percent of net sales. The available balance, plus interest earned, was available to expend on behalf of inmates."In short, Snakery kept $781,542 as its share of the $925, 512. The sheriff's department's share was $159,780, with this money going to fund operations and inmate services.
As has been pointed out previously, many relatives and inmates say that the contract gives a free hand to the vendor to set prices for the prisoners, who are not allowed to bring in any supplies save prescription medicine, from the outside. A pair of plain white (the only color sold or allowed) boxer shorts will cost $4.50. A set of three shorts at Wal-Mart will cost about the same, or less.
And at wholesale, those same shorts probably cost less than $1.
A thermal top, a critical item inside where temperatures are kept very cold, is listed at $8.30, more than twice or three times the cost at a store on the outside. A woman's plain sport bra (no metal parts) will cost a female inmate $9.00. Panties are $2.70 each. A travel pack of Femtex Tampons cost $3.00
And a serving of Ramen or Maruchan noodles you can buy at HEB or Wal-Mart for 15 cents go for 65 cents apiece. A small bar of Baby Ruth or Snickers candy is $1. A bag of off-brand tortilla chips that would cost less than $2 sells for $3.25.
Under the new and amended version, operators profit or mark-up, if any, on calling cards (the $2) shall not be subject to any commission.
And even though the county gets to keep 35 percent of gross sales under the new deal, "the parties agree to give retroactive effect to this provision to January 21, 2010,. This amendment is specifically made to correct a mutual mistake and to adjust the proper collection of the commission due and owing(?). The additional effect of this amendment is to allow the adjustment and correction of money due to Snakre Vending, LLC."
There is nothing that specifies how much money is involved in the "adjustment" anywhere in the contract.How much are we talking about? There is no telling, but we will be making a public information request to see if we can find out what the windfall will be to Zayas and his pal Ruben Cortez.
As has been pointed out before, Gus Reyna, Lucio’s chief deputy, is Cortez’s first cousin. Reyna has steadfastly denied that his relationship with Cortez had any bearing on the awarding of the contract to Snakre. He told the Brownsville Herald that he didn’t know his cousin had an interest in Snakre when the contract was awarded.
The county had planned to take over the contract and is also planning to introduce new communications facilities for inmates. Inmates at the county's correctional centers are made to pay a $2 surcharge on calling to Snakre.
County officials had said they planned to reduce prices and increase the profits to the county after inmate advocates – including Accion America's Carlos Quintanilla and inmate mother Mary Rey – met with Cascos and the sheriff's representatives at his office to complain.
According to the county judge's office, the new communications setup they have in mind might include allowing inmates to communicate with relatives face to face via television monitors.
"If the family is in Oklahoma, they will be able to see their relative on a screen," said a county official. "We think the initial cost will be pay for itself in the long run. We're thinking about doing this in the next four or five months."
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