Former Port St. Lucie assistant police chief reaches plea deal in high school football scandal

Posted by Admin October 30, 2024 Football

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A former assistant police chief in Port St. Lucie will not serve any jail time under a plea deal reached Wednesday for his role in what was called “Operation Martingate.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the case, which they described as a scheme to falsify records to allow football players to compete for schools outside their residential boundaries.

William Vega pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor of attempted perjury by false written declaration.

“He is very pleased with the way this case was resolved,” defense attorney Scott Richardson. “He’s able to put this behind him, which was the goal all along.”

WPTV

Defense attorneys Jerome Stone (left) and Scott Richardson speak about the plea deals involving their clients.

William Vega and his brother, Robert Vega, were volunteer coaches for the Martin County High School football team. Robert Vega, 48, is a police sergeant with the Port St. Lucie Police Department still on unpaid administrative leave.

According to the FDLE, they used the addresses of current and former Port St. Lucie police officers to fraudulently claim that students lived in the Martin County School District. As part of the plea deal, William Vega gave up his law enforcement certificate.

“Up front, in advance of the plea deal, he did come up with the almost $40,000 cost of investigation to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement,” Assistant State Attorney David Lustgarten said.

Assistant State Attorney David Lustgarten speaks about the plea deals reached in Operation Martingate.

FDLE said six other parents filed fraudulent documents.

Prosecutors said a plea deal was more attractive than a potential trial where kids would have to testify against their parents.

“The analysis from our end given the nature of the charges is we did not want to put them in that position,” Lustgarten said.

William Vega’s sister-in-law, Nixalys Vega, who is Robert’s wife, also reached a plea deal Wednesday.

“The most important thing is that there was no financial gain by my client or any of the clients involved in this case,” her attorney Jerome Stone said.

William Vega’s attorney said his client will be pursuing job opportunities overseas.

Regarding the six other defendants whose cases are still outstanding, prosecutors believe more plea deals are forthcoming.

Read more of WPTV’s coverage of Operation Martingate below:

Region Martin County