An El Paso County tax office deputy is facing felony charges after investigators say she altered state vehicle records so hundreds of cars could get registered without ever passing a required inspection. Her name is Jessica Marie Alonzo, and she worked as a deputy at an authorized contract office for the El Paso County Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office.
Alonzo was arrested and charged with 10 counts of tampering with government records, a felony under Texas law. She was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a total bond of $50,000.
How the Scheme Allegedly Worked
The investigation was carried out by the Enforcement Division of the El Paso County Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office. Investigators say Alonzo bypassed Texas inspection and emissions requirements by altering records directly in the state’s vehicle registration system.
In plain terms, cars that hadn’t actually passed the inspections Texas requires before registration still ended up registered anyway, because the records were changed to make it look like they had. Officials say more than 380 vehicle records were altered this way.
Money Changed Hands Too
Alonzo allegedly charged a fee for pushing these registrations through. Investigators reviewed Zelle payment records and found she’d collected thousands of dollars. Officials were careful to note, though, that they couldn’t confirm every single payment was actually tied to the alleged fraud scheme, some of it may have been unrelated, legitimate transactions.
Why This Matters
Vehicle inspection and emissions requirements exist for real safety and environmental reasons, not just paperwork for its own sake. When someone can pay to skip that step and still get a car registered, it undermines the whole system that’s supposed to keep unsafe or high-polluting vehicles off the road.
El Paso County Tax Assessor-Collector Ruben Gonzalez addressed the case directly, saying public trust is built on accountability. The office also said the investigation reflects its broader commitment to keeping the vehicle title and registration system accurate and lawful, especially in cases where public funds are involved.
Not an Isolated Problem in Texas
This isn’t the only recent case of its kind. A similar scheme surfaced in Travis County, where a federal indictment in 2025 accused former tax office employees of tampering with governmental records using county-issued login credentials to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles system. Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Celia Israel said at the time that motor vehicle fraud is rampant in Texas and hits communities from multiple angles.
El Paso has seen other related cases too, including a car dealership owner and two employees arrested earlier this year over alleged irregularities in vehicle sales and title transfers.
Where the Case Stands
Right now, the charges against Alonzo remain allegations, and she’s presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Given how many records were reportedly altered, nearly 400, this case could take a while to fully sort through, and it’s not yet clear whether additional charges or co-conspirators might surface as the investigation continues.