Patrick W. Boyd is an Air Force Master Sergeant who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes when he served in Afghanistan.[1][2][3] Prosecutors estimated he accepted $130,000 in bribes from Afghan contractors. Major Christopher P. West also faced bribery charges. The two men were arrested on August 26 and August 27, 2008. Four Afghans who were alleged to have been among those who issued the bribes were tricked into entering the US on August 25, 2008.
Patrick W. Boyd | |
|---|---|
| Criminal charge | bribery |
| Penalty | 40 months in prison |
Boyd, West, and another GI Charles W. Patton, pleaded guilty in June 2009.[4] The bribery took place when Boyd and West were deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005. Patton, who wasn't deployed to Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to receiving and hiding cash from West. In October 2009 Sergeant Ana C. Chavez, who served at the base in 2005–2006, pleaded guilty to taking US$90,000 in bribe payments.[5]
The men accused of bribery were: Assad John Ramin and Tahir Ramin, of AZ Corporation and Top's Construction, brothers who were joint citizens of Afghanistan and the USA; Noor Alam, owner of Northern Reconstruction Organization; and Abdul Qudoos Bakhshi of Naweed Bakhshi Company.[4] Three other Afghan men, Ziaulhaq, Bashir Ahmad, and Kiomars Mohammad Rafi were being held as material witnesses.[1] The Afghans arrived in Chicago in response to an invitation to a conference to celebrate the successes of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In December 2011 Boyd was sentenced to 40 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and $130,000 in restitution.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Carrie Johnston (2009-10-10). "Afghan Men Tricked Into U.S. Trip, Detained: Possible Witnesses Have Been Forced To Stay Since 2008". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08.
- ^ Caryn Rousseau (2008-08-27). "2 US military men indicted on bribery charges". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2008-09-12.
- ^ "Five Individuals Arrested, Two Contracting Companies Charged in Bribery Conspiracy Related to Department of Defense Contracts in Afghanistan". United States Department of Justice. 2008-08-28. Archived from the original on 2009-12-02.
- ^ a b Chuck Goudie (2009-06-19). "2 Chicago military officials plead guilty here, including a soldier named Patton". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04.
- ^ Tim Hull (2009-10-21). "Sergeant Pleads Guilty in Bagram Bribery Case". Courthouse News. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
- ^ "Former U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Receiving Bribes in Return for the Award of Contracts at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan". December 8, 2011.