A Maryland man has admitted guilt in a scheme involving bribery, wire fraud, and gun possession. Christopher Brackins, aged 51, of Mt. Airy, entered a guilty plea for conspiring to bribe a United States General Services Administration (GSA) official, committing wire fraud tied to an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and possessing a machine gun with an altered serial number.
Court documents reveal that Brackins conspired to bribe Public Official A, a former GSA contracting officer's representative. Brackins, owner of a construction company engaged in subcontracting for GSA projects, made these illicit arrangements from 2018 to 2021.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes of the District of Maryland confirmed the guilty plea alongside officials from various investigative agencies. Participating officers included Matthew R. Galeotti from the DOJ's Criminal Division, Deputy Inspector General Robert Erickson of the GSA-OIG, and others from the FBI, DOD-OIG, and DHS-OIG.
The bribery scheme involved payments approximately totaling $50,000. In late 2018, Brackins allegedly paid a falsely inflated bonus to an employee, directing the employee to give $8,000 to Public Official A. In 2021, another payment of $25,000 was made through an intermediary at Public Official A's request. The fraudulent activities resulted in about $133,413 in profits for Brackins and his company.
Brackins has acknowledged his role in the conspiracy to bribe a federal official. The penalties for his crimes could include up to five years in prison for bribery, 20 years for wire fraud, and 10 years for possessing the firearm, each with potential additional years supervised release. Sentencing by U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman is set for September 10.
Actual federal sentences typically fall below the maximum, with judges accounting for guidelines and statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the investigative agencies and thanked prosecutors Joel Crespo and Jonathan E. Jacobson.
For more information, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office website offers resources and further insights into its priorities.
