Wilkes sentenced to 12 years in bribery scheme

[Joanie Baloney]

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO – Brent Wilkes, the Poway defense contractor who federal prosecutors contend was the mastermind behind the largest congressional bribery scheme in history, was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday.

Wilkes, 53, who had been free on bond, was convicted on Nov. 5 of conspiracy, bribery, fraud and money laundering in connection with the bribery scheme that brought down former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a once highly respected war hero.

In exchange for the gifts and bribes, Cunningham, who then held a seat on a powerful defense committee, used his influence to earmark money in budgets and steer projects that benefitted ADCS, Inc., the Poway defense contracting firm that Wilkes owned.

An investigator said in court papers that the federal government lost at least $30 million and as much as $60 million on the contracts that ADCS was involved in.
Prosecutors sought to have Wilkes sentenced to 25 years in prison and said at a minimum, he should be given 16 years and eight months in prison, twice the length of Cunningham's sentence.



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/cunningham/20080219-1258-bn19wilkes.html

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Keep it coming! We want more indictments and sentencing for everyone responsible for this lying, corrupt reign of terror. Now is not the time to sweep anything under the carpet.

JB

[bluestateguy]

1. He should be waterboarded

What he did put our servicemens' lives at risk.

[Joanie Baloney]

3. But haven't you heard?

We don't "torture"!! :P

JB

[SpiralHawk]

4. another republicon chickenhawk war profiteer. So many of them..

Lock them up, and bury the keys... So many

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

2. Great news. Justice is done. K&R

[Thor_MN]

5. So if he reports to prison tomorrow, he'll do 315 days?

You know * is just going to spring him in late Decemeber as part of his final FU tour.

[Joanie Baloney]

6. Oh Lord...I didn't think of that

I guess I don't do "evil" well.

Sigh

:evilgrin:


JB

[flashl]

7. He must have made a deal. Prosecutors asked for 60 years. nt

[Joanie Baloney]

8. I saw that too...but then I saw this:

Prosecutors sought to have Wilkes sentenced to 25 years in prison and said at a minimum, he should be given 16 years and eight months in prison, twice the length of Cunningham's sentence.

Probation officials had recommended a 60-year term.

And I thought that it sounded odd, so I am waiting for more on that.

But a deal is certainly possible, although I'm not sure if Wilkes gave up anybody,

JB

[flashl]

10. Found it.

60-year sentence urged for Wilkes

Hearing put off for defense contractor
By Greg Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

January 22, 2008

Federal probation officials are recommending that Brent Wilkes, the Poway defense contractor who was convicted of bribing former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, should be sentenced to 60 years in prison, according to court records.

Wilkes was scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, but that has been put off until Feb. 19 at the request of his lawyer, Mark Geragos. In court papers, Geragos said he needed more time to analyze and challenge the report from the federal probation office, which he received Jan. 15 – later than required under court rules.

Such a lengthy sentence recommendation, even in an era of increasingly stiff penalties for white collar crimes, is significant, said Shaun Martin, a law professor at the University of San Diego School of Law.

“I'm sure Wilkes' lawyers' jaws dropped to the floor when they read 60 years,” he said. “It's a huge number. Bribing public officials is worse than stealing from shareholders. Both are terrible, but one is worse.”

Signon San Diego

[Joanie Baloney]

11. That's awesome!

Good find! :D


JB

[MindPilot]

9. I'm guessing deal too.

I think what we are seeing here is just the tip of a huge money-laundering scheme.

The last time I was in a federal courtroom, the judge was lecturing the participants in the case ahead of mine on the subtle nuances of deal-making in the federal court system. And by subtle nuance I mean "you can help the US attorney get to the bottom of this or you can go to a very bad place for a very long time."

[Joanie Baloney]

12. Excellent!

Pass that poppin' corn, Pa!!

:popcorn: