Maverick County Juvenile Probation Officer Javier Gonzalez pleads guilty

By: Jose G. Landa
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/Copyright 2013

Maverick County Juvenile Probation Officer and local construction contractor Javier Gonzalez, age 42, plead guilty on one count of a federal criminal indictment of paying a bribe to a Maverick County official on Thursday, May 2, 2013 before United States Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman..

Gonzalez admitted through pleading guilty that during 2010-2011 he entered into a scheme with several Maverick County officials who guaranteed him Maverick County construction contracts in exchange for him paying them a bribe for receiving those contracts. According to court records filed with the United States District Court Clerk’s Office in Del Rio, Gonzalez agreed to pay several Maverick County officials a bribe after receiving payment from Maverick County for the construction contracts awarded to him. Gonzalez would deposit or cash his Maverick County payment checks and turn around and pay money to several Maverick County officials. Gonzalez received over $400,000 in Maverick County construction contracts during the 2010-2011 scheme, causing Maverick County to lose approximately $156,000.

By pleading guilty, Gonzalez loses his Maverick County Juvenile Probation Officer license and job. Gonzalez faces up to ten years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a special assessment of $100, supervised release of up to five years, and be required to pay restitution to Maverick County, Texas for all the losses it sustained as a result of this bribery and kick-back scheme.

Javier Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2013 by United States District Court Judge Alia Moses.

The United States government was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Galdo.