DAVENPORT — A former manager at Brown Traffic Products Inc. in Davenport is serving jail time for bribing a public official from the City of Bettendorf.
Back in May of 2016, 73-year-old Robert L. Budd admitted to conspiring to commit bribery and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel.
Budd approved and made payments to Bettendorf City Electrician Robert Webster, VanderSchel said in the statement.
As part of a written plea agreement, Budd admitted that payments for various things like travel, meals, entertainment, and NASCAR events, were all in an effort to influence Webster to do business with BTP.
Budd also admitted that in March of 2009 he reimbursed Webster $2,700 for a trip he took by writing a check to his wife, the statement said. That check ended up being deposited into the Websters’ credit union account.
On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 Budd was sentenced to serve two four month prison sentences concurrently for the convictions.
Budd was also fined $25,000 and was ordered to serve two years of supervised release once he gets out of prison. In addition, he’ll have to pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
In July of 2016, Webster pleaded guilty to three felony counts. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2017 in Davenport.