Man Pleads Guilty For Taking Bribe From MN Consulting Company

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say an Army National Guard official has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe to steer a contract to a retired Minnesota Army National Guard sergeant major and his consulting company.

The U.S. Department of Justice says 39-year-old Jason Rappoccio of Hampton, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in federal court in Virginia on Tuesday to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.

Prosecutors say Rappoccio was an active duty sergeant in the Army National Guard who accepted a $30,000 bribe in exchange for steering the contract to the consulting company and took the money in installments to hide the payments.

Officials say Rappoccio also received airline tickets and football game tickets in exchange for steering an additional $4 million contract to the consulting company.

Rappoccio's sentencing is scheduled for May 22.