Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, a 49-year-old former mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received thousands of dollars in cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.
According to court documents, from January to July 2021, Vargas-Rodriguez was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. In exchange, Vargas-Rodriguez agreed to secure contracts for both companies.
Vargas-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Solicit and Accept Bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the district for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.
Vargas-Rodriguez, a former public official, was involved in a bribery scheme in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. He agreed to secure contracts for both companies.
Vargas-Rodriguez will be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
**Mandatory Facts:**
* Defendant: Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 49
* Exact Crime: Conspiracy to Solicit and Accept Bribes
* City and State: Humacao, Puerto Rico
* Date: January 2021 – July 2021
* Sentence: Up to 5 years in prison
* Dollar Amounts: Thousands of dollars in cash bribes
Related Federal Cases
- Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, Bribery Scheme, Puerto Rico 2021 · Puerto Rico
- Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, Conspiracy to Solicit and Accept Bribes, Puerto Rico 2021 · Puerto Rico
- Javier García-Pérez, Bribery Scheme, Puerto Rico 2017 · Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico Legislator Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Theft, Bribery, and Kickback Scheme · Puerto Rico
- Victor Ortiz-Díaz, Bribery Scheme, Puerto Rico 2023 · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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