Suspect in Rivera campaign-finance probe to change plea to guilty

Suspect in Rivera campaign-finance probe to change plea to guilty
Posted on Wednesday, 02.27.13
COURTS

By Marc Caputo

mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com


A key suspect in a criminal case tied to former Congressman David Rivera will officially switch his plea to guilty in three federal charges for illegal campaign activity.

Justin Lamar Sternad’s admission of wrongdoing next Wednesday will be another sign that he’s cooperating with the federal government in its investigation of Rivera.

The FBI jumped on Sternad’s trail after The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald began questioning his campaign finances and expenditures during the Democratic primary for the newly drawn Kendall-to-Key West District 26 congressional seat.

Sternad’s campaign finance reports showed he raised little money, yet he was able to produce and disseminate a dozen different types of pricey mailers — some of which attacked fellow Democrat Joe Garcia, the biggest threat to the Republican Rivera.

Garcia beat Sternad and others Aug. 14 and then defeated Rivera in the general election last November, by which point the incumbent congressman was furiously denying wrongdoing.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/27/3257763/suspect-in-rivera-campaign-finance.html#storylink=cpy