Sentencing — bribery

United States Court of Appeals For the Seventh Circuit

Criminal

Sentencing — bribery

In sentencing a defendant for conspiracy to commit bribery, it was not error to hold the defendant accountable for bribes to other co-conspirators.

“The district court’s finding that these payments were reasonably foreseeable and in furtherance of the conspiracy was not clearly erroneous. The evidence presented at trial showed an ongoing relationship between Reese and Johnson by which the parties would each provide services to individuals outside normal channels. Reese and Johnson mutually benefitted because of each other’s ability to manipulate the system and referred individuals to each other for that purpose. The payments made by Oros to Johnson were reasonably foreseeable to Reese and were in furtherance of the conspiracy. Reese referred Oros to Johnson when Reese could no longer provide the system changes for Oros. The $12,000 payment that Reese specifically challenges on appeal is further supported by the conversation between Reese and Johnson in January 2007 when Reese offered to contact Oros about picking up some plans Johnson had stamped for Oros.”

Affirmed.

10-2562 U.S. v. Reese

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Kendall, J., Myerscough, J.