Robert L. Budd Jr, Conspiracy to Bribe Public Official, IA 2017

Robert L. Budd, Jr., 73, of Bettendorf, Iowa, is going to prison for bribing a city official to funnel public contracts his way. On January 18, 2017, Chief U.S. District Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Budd to four months behind bars for conspiracy to bribe a public official and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The sentences run concurrently. He was also hit with a $25,000 fine, two years of supervised release, and $200 in special assessments to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Budd, a former manager at Brown Traffic Products, Inc. (BTP) in Davenport, admitted in a May 20, 2016 guilty plea that he orchestrated a years-long payoff scheme targeting Robert Webster, the city electrician for Bettendorf. He authorized and made direct payments for Webster’s meals, drinks, travel, entertainment, NASCAR tickets, and trips to business conferences—luxuries disguised as business expenses. These weren’t corporate perks. They were bribes.

One transaction laid bare the corruption: on March 27, 2009, Budd wrote a $2,700 check to Webster’s wife to cover a personal trip, depositing it straight into the couple’s credit union account. He admitted the payment—and others like it—were meant to grease the wheels, ensuring Webster kept steering city business to BTP. Influence wasn’t incidental. It was the point.

The scheme unraveled thanks to an FBI investigation conducted with cooperation from the City of Bettendorf. Federal authorities zeroed in on the paper trail between BTP and Webster, exposing a quiet but persistent exchange of cash and favors that undermined public trust. The case underscores how seemingly small bribes can rot institutions from within.

Webster, the public official on the receiving end, pleaded guilty in July 2016 to three felony counts related to the scheme. Once responsible for maintaining critical city electrical systems, he’s now awaiting sentencing, scheduled for March 16, 2017, in Davenport. His fall from public servant to convicted felon mirrors the broader damage such corruption inflicts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted the case, sending a message that pay-to-play schemes won’t go unnoticed. For those seeking details, contact Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300 or Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov. This one’s closed—but the stench lingers.