The South Texas sheriff was indicted alongside his assistant chief in November. The charges, unsealed Thursday, accuse them of opening a private business, Disinfect Pro Master, in April 2020 and entering into agreements with local businesses and restaurants “despite having no employees or supplies of their own.”

The company secured a $500,000 contract to clean schools in Laredo, which they fulfilled using department staff and resources, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas said in a statement.

“For more than two years, the business allegedly operated almost entirely with county employees and supplies, incurring minimal overhead,” Ganjei said, alleging that Cuellar and two deputies split the profits three ways, each coming away with about $175,000.