ABERDEEN, Md. — A biologist employed at Aberdeen Proving Ground was sentenced to nearly four and a half years in prison for accepting bribes from a defense contractor, EISCO, Inc., over a seven-year period. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the sentence of 45-year-old Jason Edmonds, who had been a researcher at the Army's Chemical Biological Center.

Edmonds, a resident of North East, Cecil County, pleaded guilty to charges of providing EISCO, a construction firm that specializes in building laboratories, with favorable treatment in exchange for personal benefits.

Between 2012 and 2019, the owner of EISCO, John Conigliaro, provided Edmonds with a total of $111,794, which was used by the biologist to purchase two rental properties. Additionally, Conigliaro financed the remodeling of Edmonds' kitchen, including installing a granite countertop and sink, and paid for new siding for his home.

FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity in government contracting, saying: "Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted and to maintain the trust in our government contracts and programs."

Conigliaro, who pleaded guilty to the bribery charges in 2022, was also implicated in the case.

On the sentencing, Edmonds was ordered to serve 51 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery. In addition, he must forfeit the $111,794.83, the exact amount of bribes he received.