Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Investigations

Date

Former Paving Contracting Official Jailed Over Three Years for Bribery in Connection with Washington, DC Road Projects

On October 20, Antonio C. Bras, former asphalt superintendent for Fort Meyer Construction Company (FMCC) was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. to 37 months in prison for his role in a scheme to bribe D.C. Department of Public Works engineers and inspectors to accept job tickets overstating the amount of asphalt used in city paving jobs by nearly $500,000. Bras pleaded guilty in 2003 to conspiracy to commit bribery.

FMCC, two other companies, and 12 individuals (including Bras) were investigated under the ‘Operation Hot Mix’ investigation, which involved FHWA contracts totaling over $32 million. FMCC was ordered in April 2003 to pay $900,000 in fines, restitution and civil damages, and was debarred from Government contracting for 18 months, ending in December 2004. Granja, Inc. and C&F Construction were sentenced in February 2002 and were suspended by FHWA from contracting with the DC Government, with some limitations, for two years. All 12 individuals, including city public works officials who accepted bribes of up to $200 for each phony asphalt job ticket, have also been sentenced. The investigation was conducted jointly with the FBI.