HOUSTON – A U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class has been ordered to federal prison for using a government-issued credit card to purchase items for his own benefit, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson today.
Brandon Lee Scott, 29, of Dickinson, pleaded guilty to the charge on Monday, February 11, 2013, after utilizing a government-issued credit card to buy nearly $3000 worth of electronics for his personal benefit.
At the hearing in support of his guilty plea, Scott acknowledged that the United States could prove he utilized a government issued credit card to buy a 55-inch Samsung High Definition television set and two 10-inch Android WiFi g tablets having a total value of $2,659.97 on June 30, 2011.
Scott was further ordered to pay $617,441.64 in restitution in addition to serving 37 months in federal prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release. Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore handed down the sentence, noting that Scott had abused a position of trust and imposed a sentence at the maximum sentencing guideline range.
Previously released on bond, Scott was permitted to remain on bond and to voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The charge against Scott resulting in the plea and sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
In a statement, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson emphasized the severity of Scott’s actions, stating that he had abused a position of trust and compromised the integrity of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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