Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Hearing on theft charges delayed for Latino civil rights leader

Rene Orozco

Rene Orozco

A court hearing for a Latino civil rights leader accused of acting as an attorney and scamming immigrants has been continued until August in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Rene Orozco, the Nevada director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, is charged with seven counts of theft and two counts of burglary. He is accused of accepting money from immigrants to assist with citizenship and criminal defense issues and failing to provide assistance.

At the request of Orozco's attorney, Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo set the new preliminary hearing this morning for 9 a.m. Aug. 24 in Courtroom 7C in the Clark County Regional Justice Center.

Orozco, who did not appear in court with his attorney, is currently free on $50,000 bail.

According to an arrest report, Orozco promised several immigrants legal services and accepted more than $6,000 from July 13, 2009, to Nov. 25, 2009. The report said that victims told police that Orozco identified himself as an immigration attorney employed by the League of United Latin American Citizens.

LULAC is a nonprofit national organization advocating Latino civil rights and opportunities in the Latino community.

Ray Velarde, national general counsel for LULAC, told officers that he has received complaints about Orozco, the report said. He said Orozco had not been authorized by LULAC to conduct any monetary transactions on behalf of the organization, the report said.

Police said Orozco doesn’t have a license to practice law in Nevada, and the State Bar of Nevada has received several complaints about his services.

According to the United States Immigration Court in Las Vegas, Orozco is not authorized to file paperwork.

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