Former U.S. Army Research Biologist Jason Edmonds was sentenced to more than four years in prison for a bribery scheme that betrayed the trust of the government institution he served. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, Edmonds, 45, from North East, Maryland, is to serve 51 months followed by three years of supervised release. The court also mandated the forfeiture of $111,794.83, equal to the amount of bribes he received.
Hailing from the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Edmonds used his position to illicitly steer contracts to a business in exchange for personal profits. As a Research Biologist at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, he was at the center of our nation's research endeavors into non-medical chemical and biological weapons defense. As the press release details, in 2013, Edmonds directed a CB Center project worth $300,000 to EISCO, Inc., and was bribed later by its CEO, John Conigliaro, with $40,000 to purchase rental properties. The projects directed by Edmonds rewarded him with extensive home renovations courtesy of Conigliaro's company.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, emphasized the broader implications of such corruption: "Edmonds’ actions as a public official harmed government integrity. Bribery spawns distrust of government and the work we do on behalf of the taxpayers," as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. William J. DelBagno, FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge, underscored the importance of honest competition for preserving taxpayer money and government trust.
The deceit did not conclude with contract manipulation. Edmonds and Conigliaro’s attempt to mislead federal investigators by claiming repayments were made in gold and baseball cards added an obstruction of justice charge, warranting a sentence enhancement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, who prosecuted the federal case, along with the FBI, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division, were commended by Barron for their diligent investigation efforts.
