San Antonio Businessman Pleads Guilty in Maverick County Bribery, Kickback and Bid-Rigging Scheme

In Del Rio, 54-year-old German Garcia Cano faces up to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty this afternoon to a bribery charge in connection with a bribery, kickback and bid-rigging scheme in Maverick County announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.

Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Collis White this afternoon, the owner of GGC Enterprises, Inc., pleaded guilty to one count of paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.

According to the court records, Maverick County paid GGC hundreds of thousands of dollars between 2009 and 2012 for leasing heavy equipment used in construction projects in Maverick County. By pleading guilty, Cano admittedly paid bribes to two Maverick County employees to insure that GGC secured those leasing contracts with Maverick County and to receive his checks from the county.

Cano, who is the 16th defendant convicted in connection with this Maverick County corruption investigation, remains on bond pending sentencing. Eagle Pass businessman Hipolito Amaya is the only defendant who has been sentenced. In March 2014, Amaya was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay approximately $35,000 restitution for paying a bribe. The remaining defendants are scheduled for sentencing in February 2015.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Individuals who have first-hand information about corruption, fraud, or bribery related to Maverick County are urged to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Reeves, Katherine Griffin and Michael Galdo are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.