Bel Air Man Bribed Company In Exchange For $50M APG Contract: U.S. Attorney

BALTIMORE, MD — A Bel Air man admitted he used his job at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) to solicit and accept bribes from 2009 to 2016 in exchange for helping a company get a multi-million-dollar contract, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Rainier Ramos, 50, of Bel Air, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to bribery connected to his job as a civilian IT professional for the U.S. Army Public Health Command at APG, officials said.

In 2009, Ramos began soliciting and accepting bribes — such as meals, drinks, gift cards and VIP access to professional sporting events — from the owner of Link Solutions, an IT company in McLean, Virginia, based on his plea agreement. In exchange, Ramos admitted that he helped the company get a contract worth more than $50 million when it was up for renewal in 2011.

Ramos admitted he helped write the statement of work for the project — known as the MEDCOM contract — to increase the likelihood that Link Solutions would be selected, the agreement said.

According to the plea agreement, Ramos wrote an email to the owner of the IT company on May 20, 2010, that said: "If there’s any way you can pull off a miracle and switch the 10 Eagles/Skins tickets you have already acquired for 10 Skins/Cowboys tickets, I’ll owe you some serious 8A business. . . . Thanks again for EVERYTHING.”

Officials said Ramos was named in 2011 as part of the selection board for the MEDCOM contract and in 2012, recommended Link Solutions.

The company was paid nearly $37 million by the U.S. government related to the contract as of July 2016, officials reported.

Based on the plea agreement, Ramos admitted to seeking and accepting, among other things:

• Rounds of golf
• Courtside tickets to Washington Wizards
• Tickets to New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Hornets games
• Access to company's luxury suite at FedEx Field for Redskins games
• Gift cards

As part of his plea agreement, Ramos must pay a money judgment of at least $33,000, and pay restitution in the full amount of the victim’s losses.

Sentencing has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 12. Ramos faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for bribery.