A former town administrator for Aguilar in Las Animas County has been charged with stealing more than $26,000 from a federal water project meant to help the small town’s residents.

Tyra Marie Avila, 47, served as Aguilar’s Town Administrator, Clerk, and Treasurer for 17 years before she resigned in September 2024. She is now facing felony charges after an investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, and the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say Avila took money from a federal loan and grant meant for the Augmentation Reservoir water project. The funds were mixed with the town’s general budget and used for personal expenses and other town expenses, leaving contractors unpaid for their work on the critical water system.

Avila is charged with five crimes:

• Theft ($20,000 - $100,000) — a Class 4 felony
• Cybercrime ($20,000 - $100,000) — a Class 4 felony
• Embezzlement of public property — a Class 5 felony
• Forgery — a Class 5 felony
• Fraud by check for less than $2,000 — a misdemeanor

She turned herself in to law enforcement and posted a $15,000 bond. Her next court date has not been set.

In response to the case, the Town of Aguilar has changed its financial rules. Now, money for the water project is kept in a separate account that only the current mayor and a USDA official can access, helping ensure the project will move forward.

Editor’s note: Portions of this article have been augmented with the assistance of Large Language Models for analysis, with human review, editing, and original material.