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Juvenile Mental Health Bribery Scheme Lands Arkansas Owner 84 Months in Prison
Theodore E. Suhl, 50, of Warm Springs, Arkansas, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for his role in a brazen bribery scheme involving the Arkansas Department of Human Services (ADHS).
According to evidence presented at trial, Suhl, the owner of two Arkansas mental health companies, bribed former deputy director of ADHS, Steven B. Jones, using intermediaries Phillip W. Carter and a local pastor. The scheme, which began in approximately April 2007, saw Suhl and Jones meet periodically at restaurants in Memphis, Tennessee, or in rural Arkansas to discuss ways for Suhl’s companies to benefit from Jones’s official acts.
As part of the scheme, Jones agreed to perform official acts that benefitted Suhl and his businesses, and provided internal ADHS information to Suhl. In exchange for Jones’s cooperation, Suhl paid Jones cash payments through the pastor’s church and provided additional bribe payments in cash to avoid detection.
The illicit arrangement allowed Suhl’s juvenile mental health counseling business to rake in over $1.5 million in profits. Jones and Carter, who both pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme, were sentenced to 30 months and 24 months in prison, respectively.
The FBI’s Little Rock Field Office investigated the case, with Trial Attorneys John D. Keller, Lauren Bell, and Amanda R. Vaughn of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuting the case.
As part of his sentence, Suhl was also ordered to pay a $200,000 fine. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of public corruption and the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions.
The sentencing of Suhl brings an end to a lengthy and complex investigation, and serves as a testament to the dedication of law enforcement and prosecutors in rooting out corruption and bringing those responsible to justice.
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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