A former Army biologist was sentenced Monday to 51 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit bribery at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland, said in a news release that 45-year-old Jason Edmonds of North East was also given three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit around $111,795, which is equal to the amount of the bribes he took.

“The sentence imposed today sends a clear message of intolerance to any public official who would abuse their position of trust for personal financial gain,” U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron said in a statement.

According to the news release, Edmonds was serving at the Army facility’s Chemical Biological Center when he “accepted cash and other financial benefits” from EISCO Inc. owner and CEO John Conigliaro in exchange for favorable action on CB Center contracts. He received the payments from 2012 to 2019.

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When federal agents sought to interview the men, Edmonds proposed that they claim he had been repaid with gold and baseball cards, knowing it was false. The court found this constituted obstruction of justice, enhancing the sentence.

“Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted and to maintain the trust in our government contracts and programs,” FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno said in a statement. “The FBI and our partners stand ready to root out fraudsters seeking to corrupt and falsely influence the process for their personal gain.”