Hendry County deputy pleads guilty to lying under court oath

A former Hendry County deputy pleads guilty to the charge of perjury an official proceeding, the state attorney’s office said in a press release.

Former Hendry County Deputy Germain Garcia has been placed on 36 months of state probation, he is required to permanently relinquish his certification as a law enforcement officer and he must pay  $500 fine.

As a condition of the sentence, Gracia will testify against Antonio Martinez, who is a Hendry County-based bondsman and the defendant in a related perjury case.

The charge stemmed from a 2017 case in which Garcia and Martinez provided false testimonies under oath in a deposition, the press release said. Lying under oath is a third-degree felony in Florida.

Garcia was terminated from HCSO upon charges being filed against him.

The case was handled by Assistant State Attorneys Anthony Kunasek and Abe Thornburg.