James Sullivan, Bribery of State Employee, Kentucky 2023

Kentucky Man Charged with Bribery

A Frankfort, Ky. man was charged today for his alleged role in a scheme to bribe a state employee.

James Sullivan, 64, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Lexington on charges of conspiring to bribe and payments to influence an employee of a federally funded program.

The indictment alleges that Sullivan agreed to make cash payments to Timothy Longmeyer, an employee of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, to influence decisions that Longmeyer made while in his position.

Sullivan first offered to bribe Longmeyer in 2009, at which time he represented a company that held a contract to administer workers' compensation claims filed by state employees. Between 2009 and approximately June 2015, Sullivan made multiple cash payments to Longmeyer, each time intending that Longmeyer would help with awarding, extending, and renewing the contract for Sullivan's client.

The indictment alleges that Sullivan made cash payments of $5,000 and $4,000 to Longmeyer, among other payments that were part of the conspiracy. Sullivan also sought Longmeyer's assistance on behalf of several private attorneys that he represented, asking Longmeyer to identify opportunities for those attorneys to secure contracts to handle civil litigation for the Attorney General's Office.

Sullivan presented Longmeyer $1,000 in cash, intending to receive his assistance. Longmeyer is not alleged to have committed any criminal conduct while employed by the Kentucky Attorney General.

Sullivan faces up to 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to 10 years in prison for each of the bribery charges, and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.

A date for Sullivan to appear in court has not yet been scheduled.

Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/pr/frankfort-man-indicted-bribery-state-employee