Jason Edmonds, a 45-year-old resident of Maryland, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. This will be followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing comes as a result of Edmonds’ involvement in a conspiracy to commit bribery at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The announcement was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
According to the department, Edmonds has been ordered by the court to forfeit $111,794.83, which is the estimated value of the bribes he accepted.
Edmonds was employed as a research biologist at the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center (CB Center) located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The CB Center is recognized as the primary research hub for non-medical chemical and biological defense in the country. Its main focus is on developing advanced technologies for detecting, protecting against, and decontaminating chemical and biological threats.
From 2012 to 2019, the department revealed that Edmonds had been accepting cash and other benefits from John Conigliaro, owner and CEO of EISCO, Inc. This was done in exchange for receiving favorable treatment when awarding CB Center contracts.
In July 2013, Edmonds was responsible for overseeing a $300,000 project that was awarded to EISCO. Later that year, in October, Conigliaro allegedly handed him $40,000 in cash. The purpose of this cash was for Edmonds to purchase two rental properties. Furthermore, Conigliaro also funded significant renovations on these properties.
According to the department, Edmonds and Conigliaro formalized the cash exchange by creating a “Promissory Note,” which Edmonds later amended in June 2014.
According to reports, Edmonds claimed $18,100 from the $40,000 for past contracts that he had overseen going to EISCO. He also secured an extra $25,000 for upcoming projects that would be directed to the same company.
During the period from December 2016 to August 2017, Edmonds actively directed CB Center contracts towards EISCO in return for various personal benefits. These benefits included a kitchen remodel, the installation of granite countertops, a new sink, and improvements to the home’s siding.
According to the department, in June 2020, when federal agents tried to interview Edmonds and Conigliaro, Edmonds suggested that they deceive authorities by stating that he had paid Conigliaro back with gold and baseball cards.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, expressed his concern about the impact of Edmonds’ actions as a public official on government integrity. He emphasized that bribery undermines the trust the public has in the government and the work it does on behalf of taxpayers.
“The sentence handed down today delivers a strong message of zero tolerance towards any public official who exploits their position of authority for personal financial gain.”
