A Barberton native who built the Fiesta Bowl into a showcase for college football's national championship is now facing charges that could send him to prison. 

56-year old John Junker, who spent much of his childhood in Barberton, and was once the corporate face of the the Fiesta Bowl, entered a plea bargain with the Arizona Attorney General admitting he solicited employees to make campaign contributions that the bowl later reimbursed.

Junker's attorney told the Arizona Republic newspaper that the former bowl chief executive agreed to plead guilty to a felony for his role in the scheme..He could face up to 20 years in prison.

The reimbursements area violation of campaign finance laws.

The Arizona Republic reports that Junker's plea comes a year after he was fired following an in dependent investigation by bowl officials that confirmed the reimbursements and found fiscal mismanagement by bowl staffers.