Maverick County Contractor Salvador Castillon pleads guilty to paying a bribe to a Maverick County Commissioner in federal court

By: Jose G. Landa
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

Maverick County contractor, Salvador Castillon doing business as South Texas Concrete, plead guilty to Count One of a two-count federal grand jury indictment for paying a bribe to an agent (a Maverick County Commissioner) of an organization (County of Maverick) receiving federal funds on Thursday, December 5, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas.

According to the June 12, 2013, federal grand jury indictment, Salvador Castillon was awarded a construction contract by Maverick County for the amount of $416,800 in 2010 and another construction contract for the amount of $148,000 in 2011. The indictment alleges that in exchange for each construction contract awarded to Salvador Castillon by Maverick County, Castillon would pay a Maverick County Commissioner the amount of $3,000 to $5,000 per contract awarded to him. The indictment alleges that in return, the Maverick County Commissioner ensured that Salvador Castillon was awarded the contracts. The indictment further alleges that Maverick County was a local government which received in excess of $10,000 during 2010 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Grant Program Operation Stonegarden.

Count One of the indictment alleges that between February 2, 2010 and/or December 31, 2010, the Defendant, Salvador Castillon, “did corruptly give, offer, and agree to give a thing of value to a Maverick County Commissioner, who was an agent or employee of Maverick County, intending to reward and influence County Commissioner in connection with a transaction and a series of transactions of Maverick County involving $5,000 or more in violation of 18 United States Code Section 666(a)(2).”

Castillon entered into a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office to plead guilty to Count One. The plea agreement is subject to approval by U.S. District Judge Alia Moses at the time of the sentencing hearing.

Castillon faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of community supervision, a special assessment of $100, and have to pay restitution to Maverick County and/or the federal government for an amount to be determined.

U.S. District Judge Alia Moses will sentence Salvador Castillon in 2014. Castillon is out on bond until sentencing.