Ft. Bragg Employee Sentenced to 42 Months’ Imprisonment for Receipt of Bribes

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 42 months for receiving bribes in his role as a purchasing agent while employed at Ft. Bragg.  Calvin Alfonza Jordan pleaded guilty to receiving bribes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201, in February of this year. 

“As suggested by the presiding judge at sentencing, one of the things that makes our government, the United States of America, great and unique from others is its commitment to deal with each of its citizens fairly,” Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said.  “The taking of bribes by employees of the United States is in direct contradiction to that foundational premise.  As this prosecution and resulting sentence show, employees of the government who abuse their positions by taking bribes will be prosecuted and face consequences to their crimes.”

According to court documents, Calvin Alfonza Jordan was a procurement agent assigned to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), at Fort Bragg, NC.  To obtain services, a Ft. Bragg facilities user submits a request for a repair or service of a facility, such as a roof leak, damaged floor, or plumbing issue to the DPW.   The request creates a Demand Maintenance Order (DMO) that is forwarded to the appropriate commodity section.  The DMO is assigned to a DPW technician that specializes in a certain trade, such as roofing, flooring, plumbing, or carpentry. 

The DPW technician assesses the issue to determine if they can complete the repair or service themselves within the time allotted, or certifies that because of manpower, needed expertise, or particular equipment needs, a contractor should undertake the work.  If a contractor is to be used for the work, the technician submits a request for a contract to the work leader.  If the work is estimated to cost under $2,500, the approved contract is forwarded to a DPW procurement agent who hires a contractor to complete the work. The technician who requested the contract would inspect and certify the work upon completion.  Once the technician inspected and certified the contractor’s work, the procurement agent would pay the contractor using a government purchase card. 

From 2011 into 2019, Jordan used his position as a procurement agent to receive bribes of approximately $200 per DMO from various vendors contracting with DPW, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, in return for increasing the number of federal contracts given the vendor.  It is estimated Jordan received $773,600 in illegal bribes.

"While Calvin Jordan was supposed to be repairing facilities to provide a safe working and living environment for our soldiers and their families, he was instead busy lining his own pockets and compromising the integrity of the contracting process,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "Today’s sentencing should send a stark reminder that DCIS and our law enforcement partners remain in pursuit of those who jeopardize the readiness of our military for their own gain."

"The sentence handed down today reflects the unrelenting approach and tenacity we employ daily in pursuing individuals who dare to attempt to defraud the federal government and the U.S. Army", said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division's Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. "When it comes to government contracting and purchasing, the superbly skilled and highly-trained special agents in our fraud unit use their finely honed investigation skills to combat and uncover fraud, deception, bribery and other criminal acts."

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by Chief United States Judge Richard E. Myers II. Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, investigated the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-328-FL.