ABERDEEN, Md. — A research biologist at Aberdeen Proving Ground got a roughly 4-year prison sentence for taking bribes from a defense contractor called EISCO, Inc. for seven years, announced the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Army biologist - 45-year-old Jason Edmonds of North East, Cecil County - pleaded guilty to giving EISCO - a construction company that builds laboratories - favorable contracts at APG's Chemical Biological Center.
The company's owner, John Conigliaro, had given Edmonds a total of $111,794, between 2012 and 2019, so the researcher could buy two rental properties.
EISCO's owner also paid to have the researcher's kitchen remodeled - with a granite countertop and sink - and new siding to his home, said DOJ.
FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno said in a press release:
Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted and to maintain the trust in our government contracts and programs.
Conigliaro pleaded guilty to the bribery back in 2022.
Yesterday, Edmonds was sentenced to 51 months (a little over 4 years) in federal prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery. He was also ordered to forfeit the $111,794.83 that's equal to the value of the bribes he got.
