A 52-year-old Edinburg man has entered a guilty plea to federal program bribery, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Miguel A. Garza admitted his involvement in a scheme to help funnel bribe money from a McAllen-area business owner to certain officials with the City of Edinburg. In exchange, they were to award a city contract to the businessman.

“Funneling bribes damages the foundations of city governments, such as Edinburg,” said Hamdani. “Our office will be relentless in seeking justice against actors who threaten to crumble those foundations through their criminal acts.” 

During the plea today, Garza admitted that during 2019 and 2020, he was acting as a political consultant on behalf of two elected officials in Edinburg. He told a local business owner he could secure votes from the officials relating to contracts the city maintained in exchange for bribe payments to the officials. 

He then collected a series of payments intending to provide them to the city officials in exchange for their votes.

As part of the plea today, Garza admitted to the political payments which totaled $47,235 between approximately June 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentence July 31. At that time, Garza faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Guerra Jr. and Arthur R. Jones are prosecuting the case.

Original source can be found here.