Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar did not just turn down an offer to tilt a county towing contract. He turned it into a federal case.
After two men approached him with a proposal to influence who landed a county towing deal, Salazar took the pitch straight to federal agents, a move that ultimately led to guilty pleas in U.S. District Court. Muhammad Choudary, a co-owner of Mission Wrecker Service S.A. Inc., pleaded guilty on May 29, 2026, and associate Anwar Tahir pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, to a conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors say the pair admitted offering tens of thousands of dollars to secure the county business. Both men were released on unsecured bonds and remain free while they wait to learn their fate. Sentencing is scheduled for Tahir on July 8, 2026, and for Choudary on Aug. 19, 2026.
How Investigators Say The Scheme Worked
According to prosecutors, the plan kicked off in spring 2025 when Tahir arranged a lunch with Sheriff Salazar. On April 16, 2025, the two men sat down with him and floated the idea of steering the county towing contract to Mission Wrecker for $30,000. Salazar declined and instead contacted the FBI, which then inserted a confidential source into the inquiry.
At a follow-up meeting on July 29, 2025, prosecutors say Tahir came back with a more detailed offer: $10,000 up front and $25,000 a year for as long as the contract lasted, according to reporting by the San Antonio Express-News.
Federal Charges And Legal Context
Federal prosecutors charged the men under laws that target bribery involving organizations that receive federal funding, most notably the federal program-bribery statute at 18 U.S.C. § 666. The conspiracy count comes under 18 U.S.C. § 371, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Prosecutors said the cases were brought under federal program-bribery provisions tied to grants and contracts. The law covers corrupt offers or bribes involving agents of governments or organizations that receive federal program funds.
Mission Wrecker's Local Ties
Mission Wrecker runs tow yards across the San Antonio area and lists locations in both San Antonio and Converse on its website, where it promotes 24/7 towing and heavy-duty recovery work. The company’s footprint, including a facility on Service Center Drive and another on FM-1516 in Converse, helps explain why the county contract was a prize worth chasing for bidders. That local presence also turned the sheriff’s decision to report the approach into a high-stakes moment for public trust in how contracts are awarded.
What's Next In Court
In recent hearings, Choudary entered his plea in late May and Tahir in the spring, putting both men on a path toward sentencing and potential fines if the court decides to approach the statutory maximums. Court records show Choudary was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, while Tahir was released on a $30,000 bond as the cases move ahead.
"Sheriff Salazar immediately and thoroughly cooperated with federal law enforcement," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Blackwell told reporters, a comment reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
Why It Matters
Beyond the criminal case, the episode is a pointed reminder of why transparent procurement and vendor registration matter in county government. Bexar County maintains a public Supplier Portal and purchasing resources to make solicitations and vendor records available to residents who want to see how deals get done.
The upcoming sentencing hearings this summer, along with any related filings or administrative reviews, will show whether this scandal nudges officials to tighten how towing contracts are requested, reviewed, or monitored. For now, the story starts with one tip from a sheriff who said no, and ends with a clear message that reporting suspected corruption can put a full-blown federal investigation in motion.
