A South Texas high school teacher, Francisco “Frank” Borrego, 48, has been arrested and charged for his involvement in a five-year theft scheme that resulted in nearly $323,000 in stolen property.
Borrego was arrested on May 7 by Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) police and is facing a first-degree felony charge of theft of property valued at $300,000 or more. If convicted, he faces a penalty ranging from five years to life in prison, along with a fine of up to $10,000.
According to police, Borrego, who taught the electrical technology program at PSJA ISD’s Ballew Learning Center, used his position to steal spools of coated copper wire purchased for the district’s program. He allegedly sold the wire for his own personal gain. Investigators also claim Borrego involved students in the theft by asking them to strip the wire, which was then discarded and sold for profit.
The investigation began in March after PSJA ISD’s police chief, Rolando Garcia, noticed discrepancies in the district’s wire inventory. An audit revealed that the theft had been ongoing for at least five years, totaling $322,779.98 in stolen funds.
In his interview with investigators, Borrego admitted to selling wire, stating that he believed it was going to be thrown away. He also claimed that he had received permission to sell the wire during his lunch break.
Borrego has been with PSJA ISD since 2012 and was previously celebrated for his work as a teacher, even serving as a mentor to new instructors. However, following the theft investigation, the district confirmed that Borrego is not currently reporting to work.
PSJA ISD has cooperated fully with the ongoing investigation and has reported the matter to the appropriate authorities. The district emphasized its commitment to addressing allegations of misconduct seriously.
