BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A former loan officer for Crisp & Cole pleaded guilty to a charge of federal wire fraud and could testify against Crisp & Cole in the future.

Jerald Teixeira could face up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution after he pleaded guilty in federal court in Fresno on Monday for his role in the Crisp & Cole mortgage fraud case.

According to court documents, Teixeira defrauded lenders of more than a $1 million after purchasing 11 properties worth about $4.4 million.

The fraud happened between October 2004 and January 2007 where, according to the plea deal, Teixeira, "David Crisp, Carl Cole, and others executed a scheme ... to defraud mortgage loan companies."

Teixeira worked at Crisp & Cole's lending company Tower Lending from October 2005 to January 2007, where according to the plea deal, Teixeira processed false and fraudulent documents often at the direction of Crisp, Cole, Julie Farmer of Crisp & Cole Real Estate and Sneha Mohammadi of Tower Lending.

Read Teixeira Plea Agreement

Teixeira will be sentenced in March 2010 in Fresno.

Teixeira, as part of the plea agreement, could have to testify in any further prosecutions related to the Crisp & Cole mortgage fraud.