U.S. Army Research Biologist Sentenced To 51 Months Imprisonment For Engaging In A Bribery Scheme And Ordered To Forfeit The Funds

Baltimore , Maryland - Jason Edmonds, age 45 of North East, Maryland was sentenced yesterday to 51 monthsin federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In addition, the Court ordered Edmonds to forfeit $111,794.83, which is equal to the value of the bribes he received.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

"Edmonds' actions as a public official harmed government integrity. Bribery spawns distrust of government and the work we do on behalf of the taxpayers, "said U.S. Attorney Barron. "The sentence imposed today sends a clear message of intolerance to any public official who would abuse their position of trust for personal financial gain".

"Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted and to maintain the trust in our government contracts and programs," says FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. "The FBI and our partners stand ready to root out fraudsters seeking to corrupt and falsely influence the process for their personal gain."

"Our government officials are entrusted to protect and ensure a fair procurement process. Edmond's actions violated that trust." said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard. "DCIS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our tax dollars from fraud and corruption."

According to the guilty plea, Edmonds was employed by the United States Army as a Research Biologist at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command ("CCDC") Chemical Biological Center ("CB Center") located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground ("APG"). The CCDC CB Center was the nation's principal research and development center for non-medical chemical and biological weapons defense. The CB Center developed technology in the areas of detection, protection, and decontamination.

From 2012 to 2019, Edmonds accepted cash and other financial benefits from John Conigliaro, the owner and CEO of EISCO, Inc. in exchange for favorable action on CB Center contracts. For example, in July 2013, Edmonds directed a $300,000 CB Center project to EISCO. Three months later, in October 2013, Conigliaro gave Edmonds $40,000 in cash so that Edmonds could purchase two rental real estate properties. Once Edmonds purchased the rental properties, Conigliaro paid for thousands of dollars of renovations to the rental properties.

Relative to the cash exchange, Edmonds and Conigliaro executed a "Promissory Note," which was subsequently amended by Edmonds on June 14, 2014. In the amended "Promissory Note," Edmonds credited himself $18,100 against the $40,000 in cash for past projects that Edmonds had directed to EISCO at the CB Center. Edmonds also wrote that Conigliaro would provide him an additional $25,000 in exchange for future projects that Edmonds would direct to EISCO.

Between December 2016 and August 2017, Edmonds directed a series of government projects to EISCO in exchange for a stream of benefits from Conigliaro, including a kitchen remodel at Edmonds's personal residence, the purchase of a granite countertop, a kitchen sink, and new siding to his home.

In June 2020, after federal agents attempted to interview Edmonds and Conigliaro, the co-conspirators met approximately three times to discuss the investigation. During those meetings, Edmonds proposed that he and Conigliaro inform federal investigators that Edmonds had repaid Conigliaro with gold and baseball cards, knowing that it was false. At sentencing, the Court found that this behavior constituted obstruction of justice under U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 and imposed a two-level enhancement.

U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the DCIS , and the Army Criminal Investigation Division for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, who is prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna Huber.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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