NORFOLK
Despite pleas for leniency, a Navy contractor was sentenced Friday to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for taking more than $34,000 in bribes from a vendor.
The case is part of a larger inquiry into kickback among Navy contractors, but federal agents and prosecutors declined to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Leslie E. Doggett Jr., 38, of Chesapeake, admitted taking cash, NCAA basketball tickets and a Sony PlayStation 3 from an unidentified vendor from 2006 to earlier this year. At the time, Doggett was a hazardous materials site manager at Norfolk Naval Station, responsible for purchasing various industrial supplies such as lubricants, degreasers and cleaning agents.
Doggett pleaded guilty in May to one count of public bribery. He could have faced up to 15 years in prison but because of his clean record, his guilty plea and other factors, his sentencing guidelines fell between 2 1/2 and three years in prison.
Doggett’s attorney, Robert Rigney, argued for even less time, perhaps even time in a halfway house.
“Mr. Doggett could have, at any time, said stop. There is no doubt about it,” Rigney told Judge Jerome B. Friedman.
“But it’s one of the lesser ones I’ve seen,” he said, citing other similar cases involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks. “The amount of money isn’t as much as we’ve seen.
But Friedman said he’s got to issue a sentence that shows respect for the law and will deter others.
“If we can’t depend on the integrity of our public officials, then we’ve got a serious problem,” he said.
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Integrity in a Sales Person...
I to am a supplier to all types of Industry in the greater Hampton Roads area and I see this all the time. Golf outings, major gifts and off-shore fishing trips. I get flak over the fact I never have hats to give away. One of the first things you will hear is that Integrity is what customers want in a sales-person. I do take customers to lunch from time to time, but you really can't call Joe's Crab Shack, or Red Robins kickbacks. LOL I don't take customer to lunch to get their business, but to say thank you for the past business they have given my company. There's a fine line and you know very well if you cross it or not. His attorney says he's seen others take a lot more money...well, this guy could have been one of them to had he not gotten caught. When I run into this type of buyer, I try to work around it, but if not, then its time to find another account. I'm not going to lose my job over a play-station, or a fishing trip. I want customers with Integrity too! There a new code of ethics large profit companies are held by, its call Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Anyone remember Enron?
Just call me an old cat in a kitten's game.
Job availability
Guess there's an opening at Naval Station Norfolk - HAZMAT person. Amazing that this happened. Amazing, yet sad. The story didn't state what company this person worked for; just said a "contractor". Seems to me they should place the name of the company. Bet youre bottom dollar if it was an enlisted military person they'd give not only the command, but probably the name, rank and serial number. Why not report the same way when its a contractor? Things that make me go hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.