Veterans Affairs official from Oakdale pleads guilty to accepting trips

An Oakdale man on Thursday pleaded guilty to receipt of a gratuity by a public official, the United States Attorney’s office said.

Anthony Castaneda, 45,was working as a contracting official at the Department of Veterans Affairs when he accepted vacation trips from a construction contractor, authorities said.

“Castaneda was in a position to influence the award of construction contracts at VA facilities, including the VA hospital at the former Mather Field in Sacramento,” federal officials said in a news release. “In 2010, a construction contractor provided Castaneda with a prepaid vacation package at a theme park worth approximately $2,243.56.”

Castaneda and his family went to the theme park for five days in October 2010. Court records also show that Castaneda received a $1,500 vacation package from the same contractor previously, in 2008.

The contractor has been charged in a separate case.

Castaneda faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced.

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Veterans Affairs official from Oakdale pleads guilty to accepting trips."