A former San Angelo police chief was handed more than 15 years in federal prison after he was found guilty in a corruption case recently, according to an announcement from the office of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Timothy Ray Vasquez, 52, was found guilty on one count of receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds and three counts of honest services mail fraud.

During the trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence that Vasquez used his position as Police Chief to help Dailey & Wells Communications, Inc., a radio system vendor, get a contract worth over $5 million with San Angelo.

Prosecutors revealed the city solicited bids for a new radio system for first responders in February 2007. Two months later, a committee recommended awarding the contract to Dailey & Wells the $5.6 million contract.

In July of the same year,  Juniper Valley, L.P., an affiliate of Dailey & Wells, wrote a check for $10,000 to “Funky Munky Band.” Vasquez deposited that check into his personal checking account. Dailey & Wells or its affiliates, Buster & Buddy and Trixie & Fini, made subsequent payments of approximately $8,000 yearly for the next eight years to either Vasquez or his band. Vasquez — funneling through his band — had received over $84,000 by June 2015.

In 2014 and 2015, Dailey & Wells contacted the city about updating its radio system from a proprietary EDACS system, which was in the process of being phased out, to a P25 Phase II system.

When the city’s I.T. manager told the then-police chief that the update would cost San Angelo an estimated $6 million and that the contract would have to go through a bidding process, Vasquez urged the manager to boycott the bidding process and award Dailey & Wells the contract. Vasquez told the I.T. manager to use a public safety exception to sidestep the bidding process.

Meanwhile, Vasquez contacted a city council member and asked her to place the Dailey & Wells contract on the city council’s agenda. The then-police chief also advocated for the Dailey & Wells contract before the city council on December 16, 2014, and June 2, 2015. The city later awarded a new $5.7 million contract to Dailey & Wells in late 2015 following a presentation from Vasquez and another employee.

Six council members testified during the trial that Vasquez had a significant influence on city council members who relied on his advice on public safety issues. All six members also testified that they were unaware of Vasquez’s business dealing with the vendor, with five stating categorically that they would have voted against awarding Dailey & Wells the contract.

Prosecutors said Vasquez received a $50,000 retainer check to “Funky Munky,” which noted “Timothy R. Vasquez” in the check’s memo section, in December 2016. In total, Vasquez and his band, “Funky Munky,” received over $175,000 from the vendor and its affiliates.

Furthermore, Dailey & Wells and its affiliates gave the former police chief tickets to enjoy luxury suites at a Journey concert and San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Cowboys games. Their benefactor also received free use of a San Antonio luxury condominium.

The trial, which was held in March and lasted three days, ended with a guilty verdict for Vasquez.

U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix sentenced Vasquez to 15 years and six months in federal jail. The judge also ordered the defendant to pay a $35,000 fine.