Former D.C. Department of Public Works official sentenced
to jail for community service bribery scheme

  Washington, D.C. - A former supervisor in the District of Columbia Department of Public Works, Eric A. Shannon, was sentenced today to 13 months of incarceration for receiving multiple bribes from criminal offenders, from whom Shannon accepted payments in return for allowing the offenders to avoid having to complete their required community service, announced U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor, Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Charles J. Willoughby.

Shannon, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry H. Kennedy, Jr. After he completes his incarceration, Shannon will serve two years on supervised release.

According to the proffer of evidence presented to the Court, Shannon was a Sanitation Supervisor and a District employee since 1999. The Department of Public Works participates in a program sponsored by the Office of the District of Columbia Attorney General in which first-time offenders agree to perform community service: if an offender completes his community service obligations, and does not commit any new offenses, his case will be dismissed. The Department of Public Works provided opportunities for offenders to complete their community service obligations by cleaning alleys and street signs and removing leaves, cut grass, and graffiti.

Shannon implemented the weekend community service assignments for the Department of Public Works. He was supposed to meet offenders at the Reeves Center, at 2000 14th Street NW, on weekend mornings, assign community service work, and maintain records of the number of community service hours completed.

On at least six occasions, Shannon solicited and receives bribes ranging from $50 to $400 in return for not requiring the offenders to complete their required community service. The offenders received from Shannon post-dated letters on Department of Public Works stationery falsely stating that they had completed a specified number of community service hours – letters they could then use to seek dismissal of their criminal cases.

For example, on or about June 23, 2007, Shannon solicited and accepted $400 in return for providing a signed letter on Department of Public Works stationery falsely stating that an individual had completed 88 hours of community service between June 23, 2007 and July 29, 2007, when, in truth, (1) the individual had not completed any community service hours; (2) Shannon had corruptly agreed that the individual never would have to complete any of his community service hours; and (3) the letter was signed on June 23, 2007, but asserted that the individual had already completed future community service hours up to and through July 29, 2007.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor, Assistant Director Persichini, and Inspector General Willoughby commended the hard work, diligence, and professionalism of FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan and D.C. Inspector General Special Agent David R. Stupar, who was assisted by Special Agents Charles Abbington and Stephen Eggleston. U.S. Attorney Taylor praised Legal Assistants April Peeler and Lisa Robinson in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He also praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy G. Lynch, who prosecuted the case.