Michael A. Brown accepts a bribe in a mug. Photo courtesy U.S. Attorney for D.C.
Former D.C. Councilmember Michael A. Brown pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe today in federal court.
As part of a plea agreement, Brown agreed to serve up to 37 months in prison. Judge Robert L. Wilkins will have the final say on the sentence.
Brown was charged Friday with accepting $55,000 from undercover federal agents posing as small business people. A court filing revealed that Brown accepted $15,000 in $100 bills in a bag, which also contained two Nationals t-shirts and a baseball hat, and $10,000 in $100 bills inside a Washington football team mug.
He forfeited $35,000 today as part of his plea agreement. The other $20,000 was previously collected by investigators during their sting operation.
Brown, dressed in a blue pinstripe suit, waived his right to a trial. He kept his answers short and simple, occasionally stopping to clear his throat.
He has been cooperating with the government and will continue to do so as a provision of his plea. The extent of Brown’s cooperation will be detailed at his sentencing hearing.
The judge released Brown on his own recognizance. He will be allowed to visit his ill mother in New York, but must surrender his passport.
Brown, who served on the D.C. Council for one term, did not speak as he left the courthouse. He will be sentenced on October 3.
Following the hearing, Ron Machen, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said at a press conference that the investigation showed Brown’s “willingness to put a ‘For Sale’ sign” on his office.
Machen said his team became aware that Brown was looking to obtain between $50,000 to $75,000 from a government contractor in exchange for assistance. Brown was then put in touch with an undercover FBI agent posing as a Maryland businessman. He did quite a bit of communicating with the undercover agents through text messages.
Brown accepted his first bribe, which was referred to as a “loan,” on July 11, 2012. The fifth and final payment was made during a meeting on March 14, 2013. Brown became aware of the sting operation on that day.
