Texas Rangers granted new search warrants in Harris Co. bid rigging probe

HOUSTON - Alex Tryantaphillis, Wallace Nader and Aaron Dunn - all former members of Judge Lina Hidalgo's inner circle and all under felony indictment in connection with an alleged $11 million bid rigging scheme.

As the trio awaits trial, Fox 26 has learned Texas Rangers have been granted five additional search warrants which seek electronic communications, including encrypted messages, involving the Covid Communication contract granted Elevate Strategies, the little-known, one-woman firm benefitting from the lucrative deal allegedly steered her direction by the accused.

In his affidavit Texas Ranger Daron Parker says "there is probable cause to believe the defendants and potentially others purposely concealed messages to prevent them from being available" to law enforcement.

"They are clearly ratcheting this up and looking if Lina Hidalgo was actively participating in the destruction of evidence. The affidavits clearly point the finger right at Lina and whether or not she directed her employees to destroy evidence that was on these phones that were subpoenaed.," said Chris Tritico, Fox 26 Legal Analyst.

That's why the search warrants are being served directly on communications companies Verizon, AT&T, Google and WhatsApp.

"They almost always comply with the law enforcement agency to turn over the information if they have it," said Tritico.

 Investigators apparently know messages are missing or have been erased because they have obtained all the communications from Felicity Pereyra, the owner of Elevate Strategies who was never been charged in the case.

As for Judge Hidalgo, she continues to say neither she nor her staff did anything illegal - and claimed she never uses encrypted apps for county business. 

"Man, I have Slack, I have signal. I have WhatsApp, I have not used them in years," said Hidalgo in May of 2022. 

The affidavit identifies messaging on WhatsApp between Hidalgo and Triantaphyllis clearly discussing the Elevate Strategies contract  dated January 22, 2021.