Maverick County Employee Indicted in Bribery Scheme

In Del Rio this morning, current Maverick County employee Eduardo Rene Rodriguez, age 40, surrendered to federal authorities after a federal grand jury indicted him this week in connection with an alleged bribery scheme, announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez.

The federal grand jury indictment, returned on Wednesday and unsealed today, charges Rodriguez with two counts of receiving bribes. According to the indictment, Rodriguez’s duties for Maverick County included acting as a liaison between Maverick County and private contractors hired to perform work for the county. The indictment alleges that from January 1, 2010 until September 30, 2010, and again from January 1, 2011 until March 31, 2011, Rodriguez accepted bribes to be influenced and rewarded in connection with a series of contracts worth more than $5,000 in Maverick County funds.

Upon conviction, Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count. Rodriguez, who remains in federal custody, is scheduled to have his detention hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor Garcia in Del Rio.

This ongoing 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 Michael Galdo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the gmovernment. An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.