The indictment alleges that Gonzalez made a cash payment to an employee working in the Maverick County Auditor’s Office each time he received a check. The indictment further alleges that both checks were issued to Gonzalez without undergoing the appropriate internal review process by Maverick County. Additionally, Gonzalez is alleged to have never constructed the sidewalk he was paid to build on Lago Vista Street. Upon conviction, Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and up to ten years in federal prison for bribery. Gonzalez is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White this morning in Del Rio for his Initial Appearance. In 2011, Maverick County received hundreds of thousands of federal dollars as part of Operation Stonegarden, a federal grant program that provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to enhance their capabilities to jointly secure U.S. borders and territories. 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 Government. 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.