Former City of Bettendorf Employee Admits Taking Bribes

Topics:  Brown Traffic

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Iowa
23 July 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DAVENPORT, IA – On July 22, 2016, Robert W. Webster, 66, of Davenport, Iowa, after three days of trial, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to three counts of an Indictment charging one count of conspiracy to commit bribery involving governments receiving federal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 666(a)(2) & (b) and 371 and two counts of bribery concerning governments receiving federal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B), announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Webster, the former City Electrician for the City of Bettendorf, Iowa, admitted that from 2004 or earlier, until around July of 2010, he conspired with persons at Brown Traffic Products, Inc. (BTP) of Davenport to accept all-expenses-paid trips including airfare, lodging, meals, drinks, and entertainment intending to be rewarded or influenced in connection with business transactions with the City of Bettendorf.

Webster admitted in March of 2009, he accepted $2,700 from an employee of BTP in the form of a check issued to Webster’s wife and deposited into her credit union account. The March 2009 payment was accepted by Webster with the intent that he rewarded and influenced in connection with business transactions, past and future, between BTP and the City of Bettendorf. He further admitted that in September of 2009, he accepted payment for golf at the Kokopelli golf course in Gilbert, Arizona, from an employee of BTP as a reward or as influence for transactions with the City of Bettendorf.

For the bribery charges, on each of the two counts, Webster faces a potential statutory sentence of up to ten years (10) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of up to two (2) years of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment. For the conspiracy charge, Webster faces a potential statutory sentence of up to five years (5) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of up to one (1) year of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled before Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey on December 14, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa.

Other persons who have pled guilty in this investigation are Robert L. Budd, Jr., Daniel O. Fuchs, and David Schiltz, all former employees of Brown Traffic Products, Inc.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.