BROWNSVILLE – Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre Jr. is back at work Monday morning.

He was allowed back into his office after being cleared of bribery charges last week. He was banned for nearly a year while he was facing the charges.

Yzaguirre was in his office by 7:30 a.m. He got an early start to meet with staff and catch up with about a year's worth of updates relating to his office.

“Really apologizing to them as to what happened, what transpired and how these individuals were badly treated,” he said.

A jury in Nueces County acquitted Yzaguirre of 15 counts of bribery, abuse of official capacity and official oppression on Friday.

The county official walked into the Cameron County Administration Building, greeted by a sign with balloons that read “Welcome back Mr. Yzaguirre.” He found the things in his office untouched.

“It was kind of heartbreaking not to be here for a whole year. It was kind of like starting a new job,” he said.

Yzaguirre has been working as the tax assessor-collector since 1987. At the trial, state prosecutors told jurors Yzaguirre took bribes while in the office.

On Monday, he reviewed budgets with his department heads and reviewed the list of staff and new employees. He said he’s been keeping track of the happenings in his office by watching commissioner’s court online and calling in.

The district attorney’s staff that prosecuted Yzaguirre is housed in the same building. He said they were just doing their job.

“All I can say is you know, they did what they had to do with the information they had, and of course, it turned out that the information they had was wrong and the jury proved them wrong,” he said.

As far as the employees that were formerly arrested and charged in connection to his case, Yzaguirre said he’ll be speaking with the legal department to determine if those employees that left the department are eligible to apply for their position again now the charges were dismissed.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to the district attorney’s office for comment, so far they haven’t responded.