12 Years For The Contractor Who Bribed Congressman

By Matthew Williams
14:21, February 20th 2008
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12 Years For The Contractor Who Bribed Congressman

On Tuesday a former military contractor received 12 years in federal prison for offering bribe to former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham consisting of cash, trips services of prostitutes in exchange for helping him in getting almost $90 million in contracts in Pentagon work.

At the hearing U.S. District Judge Larry Burns told Brent R. Wilkes: "If you were to do the right thing about this, today is the day to own up," the Associated Press reports.

"You have no sense of contrition. You had this corrupt relationship with the congressman and you profited from it," he added.

Wilkes, 53, was charged in November for 13 counts of conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and wire fraud.  

He pleaded not guilty for all the felonies.

After the hearing he was taken into custody and ordered to pay a fine of over $1.1 million and forfeitures.

During the three-week trial the prosecutors showed that Wilkes offered Cunningham over $700,000 in gifts including services of prostitutes. In exchange, Cunningham helped Wilkes obtain $87 million in Pentagon contracts.

Wilkes received a sentence of 12 years, even though his attorney, Mark Geragos asked for a small one.

On Tuesday Geragos said that he filled for an appeal.

In a statement addressed to the judge Wilkes said: "I am a man who cares deeply for this community, for my family, for my country."

Cunningham, a decorated Navy fighter pilot who served in Vietnam, pleaded guilty in 2005 for taking bribes from Wilkes and others.

During his testimony, Wilkes denied any accusations of giving bribery saying that his business with Cunningham was legitimate.  

According to authorities, Wilkes bribed Cunningham in order to gain profit for ADCS Inc., his company for data and document storage.

In a pre-sentencing court prosecutors wrote last week: "Wilkes coldly and successfully exploited the simplemindedness of one of this country's war heroes, now a tortured shadow of his former self. Wilkes stands now revealed as a war profiteer, a thug, a bully, a lecherous old man who preyed on his young female staffers and hired prostitutes."

 

 



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