Bribed Army Officer Faces Grim Consequences

U.S. Army Major Roderick D. Sanchez, 45, of Pueblo, Colorado, pleaded guilty to bribery related to Army contracts, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

A U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado heard that Sanchez accepted illicit bribe payments from foreign companies seeking to secure Army contracts in exchange for steering contracts to these companies.

According to court documents, Sanchez was employed by the U.S. Army and deployed overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait as a contracting officer. His duties included reviewing bids submitted by contractors for Army contracts, recommending the award of Army contracts to specific contractors, and ultimately awarding those contracts to government contractors.

Sanchez admitted to accepting Rolex watches, cash payments, and other things of value totaling more than $200,000 in return for his corrupt actions.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Justin V. Shur and Trial Attorney Eric L. Gibson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI, Army Criminal Investigation Command, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

A maximum prison sentence of 15 years, a fine of $250,000, and five years of supervised release following his prison term await Sanchez. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Christine M. Arguello.

This guilty plea brings an end to a long-standing scheme in which Sanchez compromised the integrity of Army contracting processes for personal gain.

Sanchez’s actions not only undermined the trust placed in him as a contracting officer but also compromised the security and safety of U.S. troops and interests abroad.

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