Ex-Texas police chief funneled $130K in bribes through his band Funky Munky, feds say

A former police chief in Texas is accused of taking bribes in exchange for $11 million in contracts for radio equipment, federal prosecutors say.

He funneled the money through his band Funky Munky, officials say.

Timothy R. Vasquez, who was the San Angelo police chief from 2004 to 2016, was indicted on bribery and mail fraud charges, according to a U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas news release. He appeared in court Friday for the first time in the case.

Vasquez is accused of using his position to help a radio vendor obtain $11 million in contracts, prosecutors say. In 2007, the city asked for bids to equip its emergency responders with radio equipment, including the police department, according to the release.

Vasquez asked an applicant for a vacation, but he was rejected, prosecutors said. So, he recommended another company receive the $5.6 million contract, officials said.

About seven years later, the radio equipment was “phased out” and Vasquez recommended the same company be awarded a $5.7 million contract without going through the bidding process, prosecutors said.

Vasquez and Funky Munky received at least $134,000 in bribes from the company and its affiliates, prosecutors said.

San Angelo Police Chief Frank Carter wrote in a statement that the department cooperated with federal authorities during the investigation of the former top cop.

“Although the San Angelo Police Department’s involvement was very limited, we fully cooperated with the Texas Rangers and FBI during their respective ongoing investigations,” Carter wrote. “The San Angelo Police Department, along with our law enforcement partners, have a very strong working relationship with our colleagues at the Federal, State and local levels.”