Mario Martin Solano Jr., the former area assistant director for OSHA in El Paso, Texas, in 2002 steered employers seeking to reduce their OSHA fines to a company run by Jose Campos for job-safety training. Campos paid Solano, who was working for OSHA at the time, about $30,000 in bribes for the referrals.
"Mr. Solano betrayed the people he was supposed to serve," U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton said. " … [H]is greed landed him in federal prison. The United States Attorney's Office will root out and prosecute public corruption whenever and wherever we find it."
Solano's 24-month sentence will begin July 5. Solano also was ordered to pay $29,868 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. He will serve 2 years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
Elias Casillas, who worked under Solano, found and referred offending companies to Solano and also received bribes from Campos for the referrals. On Jan. 6, Campos and Casillas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay a gratuity.
Campos was sentenced to 1 year probation and and Casillas was sentenced to 4 years probation.