Defendant Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Bribery Scheme

HOUSTON, TX – In a shocking turn of events, Jesus Bustos, 58, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a bribery scheme that has left the small town of Progreso reeling. According to United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Bustos was charged in a second superseding federal indictment alleging his participation in a bribe-paying scheme in Progreso.

Bustos, the owner of architectural firm IDEA Group LLC, admitted to paying bribes and kickbacks to obtain architectural contracts for his company on public projects in Progreso and Weslaco. The collective value of the projects on which Bustos paid bribes was in the millions of dollars.

At the center of the scheme were members of the Vela family, including Progreso Mayor Omar Vela and PISD Board of Trustees President Michael Vela. According to testimony, the Vela family members controlled contracting with PISD and directed PISD contracts to those who were willing to pay bribes. Jose Guadalupe Vela, the Director of Maintenance and Transportation for PISD, shared the bribe money with PISD School Board members who were willing to vote for contractors that Jose Vela chose for their willingness to pay bribes.

Bustos admitted to paying bribes through his employee to members of the Vela family to obtain contracts on PISD construction projects, including the West Elementary School, Fine Arts Center, North Elementary School, and the Science and Technology building. He also personally delivered bribe money to Michael Vela in approximately 2011.

In Weslaco, Bustos paid a bribe through his employee to a WISD school board member in order to obtain a contract on the Mario Ybarra Elementary School Construction project. He paid two bribes through his employee to the school board member at the end of the construction project in order to expedite payment from WISD to IDEA Group.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has set sentencing for July 25, 2014. At that time, Bustos faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the FBI, and Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting.

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