Darrel Fitzpatrick, who also went by the name Patrick Fields, pleaded guilty on January 21 to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 201(b)(1). Sentencing is set for April 29, 2021.
Fitzpatrick faces up to five years imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
According to court papers, in 2019:
- Fitzpatrick was a senior account manager at a bus brokerage company in Atlanta that provided transportation to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.
- That same year, Fitzpatrick started a competing transportation brokerage company called National Charter Express.
- Fitzpatrick agreed to pay kickbacks to Erik Martin, a civilian employee of the Marine Corps Reserves, in exchange for Martin directing contracts to the company where he worked and, subsequently, to National Charter Express.
- The conspiracy resulted in at least $2,000,000 in transportation contracts being corruptly awarded to companies associated with Fitzpatrick.
- In exchange for the contract awards, Fitzpatrick wired and attempted to wire Martin over $250,000 in bribes.
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the United States Secret Service investigated this case.
Also see “Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking $250K in Bribes over Military Transport Contracts” at: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/01/06/guilty-plea-military-transportation-bribery-case.html
