SECOND EX-STATE EMPLOYEE CONVICTED OF ACCEPTING BRIBES IN CURRAN’S CONTINUING CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Linda Simms of Waldorf, Md. pled guilty to Bribery in the Circuit Court for Charles County. Ms. Simms, a former employee of the La Plata, Md. State Highway Administration maintenance facility, between January 2001 and January 2003 received bribes from Stone Cold Chemical, Incorporated, a janitorial and maintenance supply company from whom she ordered numerous items, using her State credit card.

Ms. Simms, 54, of University Drive in Waldorf, acknowledged in her plea today that she accepted hundreds of dollars in gift certificates from Wal-Mart and ToysRUs, for the purpose of influencing her in the performance of her official procurement duties as a State employee and for neglecting and failing to perform the same.

Judge Robert C. Nalley sentenced Simms to a two year suspended sentence, a $1000 fine and one year probation.

Stone Cold’s owners and salespeople have been successfully prosecuted in Georgia and Florida State Courts for bribing State employees.

Attorney General Curran’s office has charged a total of six former State employees to date, and his investigation is continuing. One other defendant - Vivian McLean Odom - has already pled guilty to Bribery and been sentenced in Baltimore City Circuit Court to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The matter was referred to the Attorney General’s Office by the Legislative Auditor, and was investigated by the AG’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Maryland State Police.  

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