Puerto Rico mayor pleads guilty to federal corruption charges

A mayor in Puerto Rico pleaded guilty on Thursday to being part of a bribery scheme after he was accused of awarding 50 municipal contracts worth nearly $10 million to an asphalt company.

Félix Delgado-Montalvo, the mayor of Cataño resigned on Tuesday. Delgado-Montalvo pleaded guilty to the count of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes. He will be sentenced in March 2022 and faces up to five years in prison.

“Delgado-Montalvo unjustly enriched himself by accepting bribes, including cash payments from a particular person, whose business, Company A, would then benefit by being rewarded municipal contracts, including a contract worth nearly $50,000,” reported the U.S. Department of Justice.

On Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted the asphalt company’s owner, Mario Villegas-Vargas, charging him with “conspiracy to pay bribes, bribery, and use of an interstate facility in aid of racketeering.” He was arrested on Thursday and could face up to 20 years in prison.

As part of the bribery scheme, Villegas-Vargas received $9.9 million in municipal contracts.

Delgado-Montalvo received luxury watches and over $100,000 from the company as part of the corruption scheme between 2017 and 2021, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen Muldrow.

As part of his plea, Delgado-Montalvo agreed to forfeit $105,000 in proceeds from the scheme.

“Sometimes power blinds you, and I am sure that is what happened to me,” said Delgado-Montalvo as he apologized to the residents of his municipality.