Mother-daughter tax office employees arrested for forgery

A mother and daughter previously employed by the Milam County Tax Office were arrested Jan. 22.

According to the Milam County Sheriff’s Office jail log, Lydia Cervantes, 55, and Laura Renee Cervantes, 26, were arrested Monday but were released on bail the same day. 

Lydia was charged with two counts of forgery of vehicle registration and filing false names, a third degree felony. Laura was charged with one count of forgery of vehicle registration and filing false names.

According to the probable cause affidavit on Nov. 2 an investigator for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles received information alleging that Lydia had transferred a motor vehicle title using a false sales price to circumvent remitting the required sales tax. The vehicle was transferred to Lydia Cervantes from Olivia Cervantes. The investigator also discovered that Motor Vehicle Clerk Laura Cervantes processed the transfer. Olivia Cervantes is Lydia’s daughter-in-law.

They join a number of county employees or public figures that have been charged or arrested in the county recently including former Tax Assessor/Collector Kollette Morgan, former County Treasurer Donna Orsag, and former Milam County Assistant Community Supervision Officer Ronald Floyd.