FLORIDA MAN CHARGED IN BRIBERY SCHEME

BIRMINGHAM, AL - DENNIS ALAN DARLING, 51, of Redington Beach, Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for bribing a public official. The indictment is announced by United States Attorney Alice H. Martin and Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

DARLING was charged in a one-count indictment filed today at U. S. District Court in Birmingham. The indictment charges Darling with paying $400,000.00 to Michael Cantrell, Director of the Integrated Capabilities Management Directorate with the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command, with the intent to influence the public official's actions on the funding of certain government contracts. The maximum sentence for bribing a public official is fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.

"The integrity of our government contracting system is threatened by those who would pay bribes under the table to influence government actions. This office will aggressively prosecute those threats," stated United States Attorney Alice H. Martin.

"Public officials are not for sale, and those who think they are and attempt to 'buy' a public official's influence will be investigated and prosecuted as much as any public official who accepts a bribe," stated Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Cantrell plead guilty on January 14, 2008 to conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, and tax evasion arising out of a procurement fraud scheme involving contracts with the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command, and is awaiting sentencing.

Special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Directorate, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service worked together in the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael W. Whisonant is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.