By Walter F. Roche Jr.
The head of environmental services at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Philadelphia was indicted today for solicting bribes from two Florida contractors to steer contracts to their firms.
In an 11-page indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia Ralph Johnson, the head of environmental services at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, was charged with three counts of soliciting bribes.
In an affidavit filed in the case an FBI agent said that Earron and Carlicha Starks paid over $100,000 in bribes to Johnson who then steered a series of contracts to two Florida firms controled by the Starks.
In one instance Johnson steered an $84,000 tree trimming and removal contract to the Starks in return for a $3,000 payment. According to the indictment the work under the contract was actually performed by a subcontractor for $4,000.
According to the 12-page affidavit from Special Agent Brett Nelson Johnson steered conracts worth more than $2 milllion to two Starks companies.
Some of those contracts were awarded under a program setting aside contracts for businesses controlled by service disabled veterans, but the Stark companies were "not legitimate" service disabled businesses, the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit the Starks were wearing wires during two of their meetings with Johnson, one in Philadelphia on June 13, 2019 and the other on Aug. 14, 2019 at an Orlando hotel.
The Starks "traveled regularly to Philadelphia" to pay over $100,000 in bribes to Johnson.
Records show the Starks already have entered guilty pleas in Florida to a single count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. They have yet to be sentenced.
If convicted, Johnson faces a possible sentence of 45 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and up to a $750,000 fine.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com.
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