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Let's hear it for federal prosecutors - in particular for former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, on whose watch the depth of corruption in New Mexico and local government was uncovered.

Charges of Democratic political corruption - which Republicans tried to force out of the federal judicial system last fall, in time to unduly influence a tough congressional election race for Republican Rep. Heather Wilson - finally hit the fan Thursday in Albuquerque.

And like the political attempts to out the information early, the charges themselves couldn't be more disheartening.

Prominent Democratic leaders, including former state senator and Senate president Manny Aragon, are charged with ripping off taxpayers by stealing public funds from the Metropolitan Courthouse project.

Up front, let's remember that these are charges and that those indicted by a federal grand jury are innocent until proven guilty.

That said, however, prosecutors already have guilty pleas from former Republican Mayor Ken Schultz, architect Marc Schiff and subcontractor Manuel Guara. They faced severe criminal penalties, which likely would be moderated in exchange for their cooperation with investigators and their court testimony against the indicted.

Charged with Aragon, in what prosecutors say was an extensive kickback scheme, are Metropolitan Court Administrator Toby Martinez and his wife, Sandra, and Albuquerque engineer Raul Parra.

All told, federal prosecutors charge that $4.2 million was skimmed from the $83 million project. That means the cost of corruption to taxpayers for this project alone was 5.1 percent.

Prosecutors charge the scheme involved tapping into state funds and creating inflated invoices, the payments for which produced cash for the schemers.

That, if proved true, should make taxpayers in Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and New Mexico angry and eventually pleased that finally - thanks to alert and aggressive federal prosecutors and investigators - the deeds will be fully revealed and those who perpetrated them will face justice.

If it is proved that they violated the public trust, they should receive stern punishments.

Likewise for those accused of using the federal judicial system to serve their own political purposes, by intimidating Iglesias to rush the indictments before last fall's election. Wilson and her patron, Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of Albuquerque, are accused of making calls to Iglesias last fall that not only appeared inappropriate but could be politically and constitutionally unethical.

Some court observers and legal experts speculate that any interference by Wilson and Domenici could become a legal factor that influences the outcomes of the cases brought this week against Aragon, the Martinez couple and Parra.

That would be a shame, because in both of these tortured tales, the real heroes are the investigators and the prosecutors - led by Iglesias - who did their jobs defending the public purse and trust.