Former Liquor Board Director Pleads Guilty In Bribery Probe

GREENBELT, MD — The former director of the Prince George's County liquor board pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a years-long bribery scandal, admitting to giving elected officials thousands of dollars in exchange for their support of changes to the state's liquor laws.

David Dae Sok Son, 41, of Bowie was a commissioner of the Prince George's liquor board from 2005 through 2014 and is one of eight people charged in the federal probe. Son pleaded guilty to soliciting and facilitating bribes from lobbyists, elected state officials and business owners in an effort to expand liquor sales in the county.

Son admitted to facilitating thousands of dollars in bribes from Prince George's County liquor store owners to Maryland elected state officials for their support of Sunday liquor sales in the county. The bribe recipients include then-County Councilman William Alberto Campos-Escobar (also known as Will Campos) and then-Delegate Michael Vaughn.

Son is accused of facilitating multiple bribes ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each to Campos and Vaughn. In one incident described in court documents, Son said to Campos that a liquor store owner was "going to hook you up." He then gave Campos an envelope with $4,000 in cash in the restroom of the restaurant, prosecutors said. The bribe was to secure that liquor store owners and a lobbyist funding the bribe would receive Sunday liquor sales licenses.

Prosecutors said Son also arranged a meeting between Vaughn and two liquor store owners about having beneficial legislation introduced to the Sunday Sales bill. The two liquor store owners said they would pay $50,000 to make that happen, and Vaughn agreed to introduce legislation. Vaughn is seen on bank surveillance video footage pulling a "stack of cash" out of his pockets and handing it to a bank teller. He deposited $4,000, which was the liquor store owner's "down payment" in the bribe, prosecutors said.

Son then admitted that he tipped off others involved in the bribe after he was questioned by the FBI in December 2016. He wrote a letter to another subject of the FBI's investigation, telling him he was "taken" by the "Feds" and was "wired" when he last met with him, prosecutors said. Son also listed names of people who had "flipped," or cooperated with the FBI.

Son entered guilty pleas on counts of bribery, conspiracy and obstruction of justice in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. He faces up to 35 years in prison and will be sentenced January 22, 2018.

Campos is awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to accepting $40,000 to $50,000 in bribes in exchange for official favors. Vaughn is awaiting trial and is accused of accepting over $100,000 from liquor store owners in exchange for votes on liquor-related legislation.

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