GEORGIA – Two sergeants with the U.S. Army admitted to accepting bribes from Afghan truck drivers at Forward Operating Base Gardez, Afghanistan, in exchange for allowing the drivers to take thousands of gallons of fuel from the base for resale on the black market, officials announced Wednesday.
James Edward Norris, 41, of Fort Irwin, California, and Seneca Darnell Hampton, 31, of Fort Benning, Georgia, each plead to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and one count of money laundering.
Hampton and Norris admitted that they shipped the bribe money back to the United States in “tough” boxes, according to authorities.
Norris further admitted that on June 7, 2013, after returning from deployment, he purchased a 2008 Cadillac Escalade with $31,000 cash derived from the bribery scheme.
Hampton further admitted that on May 20, 2013, after returning from deployment, he purchased a 2013 GMC Sierra with $29,000 cash derived from the bribery scheme.
During their guilty pleas, Hampton and Norris admitted to conspiring with other soldiers stationed at FOB Gardez to solicit and accept approximately $2,000 per day from local Afghan truck drivers in exchange for permitting the truck drivers to take thousands of gallons of fuel from the base.
Hampton admitted that he concealed the scheme by attributing the increase in fuel usage to colder winter temperatures.
As part of their plea agreements, officials said Hampton and Norris agreed to forfeit the proceeds they received from the bribery scheme and the vehicles they purchased and pay full restitution.
Sentencing has been scheduled for May 21, 2015.