Both sides have rested in the federal bribery trial of Veronica O’Caña, who is accused of helping rig a contract awarded by Mission Consolidated Independent School District. The jury begins deliberations on Wednesday.

O’Caña faces charges of bribery, money laundering, witness tampering, and violating the Travel Act.

Testimony began with prosecutors calling FBI Special Agent Ricardo Ale to the stand, who spoke about investigating Performance Services Inc. and Harmony Consulting, two companies owned by Antonio Gonzalez III.

Prosecutors walked the jury through Mission CISD board minutes and a $6,000 check they say Veronica O’Caña's brother, Jorge, wrote. They also showed a $25,000 withdrawal by Gonzalez in February 2018, which Gonzalez said was not for a Mississippi trip as prosecutors suggested.

Prosecutors say the checks were payments to Veronica so she could convince her sister Patricia O’Caña, a Mission CISD board member at the time, to vote in favor of hiring Performance Services Inc., an energy savings company.

READ ABOUT DAY ONE OF THE TRIAL HERE

Gonzalez pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing. He agreed to work with the FBI and recorded alleged co-conspirators using a special watch the FBI gave him.

Gonzalez took the stand and told the jury he knew Jorge O’Caña since college, and said Jorge asked him to help secure a contract with the school district in exchange for compensation.

Gonzalez told the court the deal included a campaign contribution to Patricia O’Caña's Mission CISD school board race, and he agreed to give Jorge $30,000 for campaign expenses.

Gonzalez also told the court Patricia O’Caña advised him on how to win the selection process. Veronica O’Caña, he said, would ensure Performance Services Inc. received the highest ranking.

On Feb. 1, 2018, Mission CISD formally awarded the contract to Performance Services Inc. That same night, Gonzalez said he gave Veronica O’Caña $25,000 in cash in the parking lot of Palenque Grill on Nolana Avenue.

When asked by prosecutors, Gonzalez admitted what he was doing was criminal.

Gonzalez later gave Veronica a $5,000 check to complete the full $30,000. Despite the alleged bribes, the project with Performance Services Inc. was shelved after the Mission CISD purchasing department stalled the contract.

Gonzalez said the stall frustrated Patricia O’Caña. Roy Vela, a former Mission CISD school board member, lost his election in May 2018.

Gonzalez told the court he decided to cooperate with the FBI after his father died in June 2018. He said his father told him he was proud of him.

"I knew I was wrong and wanted to make things right," Gonzalez said.

The defense pressed Gonzalez over whether he considered himself a good citizen, showing the jury text messages filled with frustrations over the scheme.

Agent Ale also testified about his team following Veronica to her business and serving her a federal grand jury subpoena in March 2022. In April 2022, prosecutors say a recording captured Veronica talking about leaving for Costa Rica, which concerned the FBI enough to speed up their investigation.

Just before the jury was dismissed for the day, the defense addressed one of the witness tampering counts. Prosecutors pointed to an undercover phone call in which they say Veronica told Gonzalez they needed to get the story straight. The defense argued that the exchange did not show her trying to stop Gonzalez from testifying.

Watch the video above for the full story.