Updated Feb. 21
Closing arguments were delivered Tuesday from both the defense and prosecution in the federal trial against State Sen. Carlos Uresti and his involvement in the bankrupt fracking sand company Four Winds Logistics.
Prosecutor Joe Blackwell referred to Four Winds CEO Stan Bates as a con man and said Uresti worked with Bates to knowingly exploit investors for financial gain. Bates pleaded guilty to eight charges last month.
Uresti’s defense attorney Michael McCrum said Uresti was not aware of financial mismanagement at Four Winds and did not intentionally defraud or mislead investors.
Uresti faces 11 charges, including wire fraud and money laundering.
The defense and prosecution also delivered closing arguments in the case of Uresti's co-defendant Gary Cain, an adviser to Four Winds, who faces nine charges, including money laundering.
The jury received the case Tuesday evening, and will continue deliberating Wednesday.
After closing arguments, Uresti maintained his innocence.
“I feel confident that with the lord's blessing, with the support of my wife, that this jury is going to come back and find me not guilty on all of these charges,” he said.
Joey Palacios can be reached at joey@tpr.org or on Twitter @joeycules
11 a.m. Updated with quote from State Sen. Carlos Uresti.
