Ex-defense contractor employee sentenced for bribing San Diego Navy employee

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) - The former executive vice president for a Virginia-based defense contractor who bribed a San Diego-based Navy civilian employee in exchange for his help in securing millions of dollars in government contracts was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, plus one year of home confinement.   

Russell Thurston, 53, was indicted along with his former employer Cambridge International Systems, Inc., for bribing James Soriano, who worked at the Naval Information Warfare Center as a contracting officer representative.   

Thurston pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to commit bribery for offering Soriano numerous gifts, including meals, jobs for family members and friends, and a ticket to the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.  

The U.S. Attorney's Office argued that with Soriano's help, Cambridge was awarded two large task orders. The government obligated around $132 million for those task orders, but only about $1.6 million was paid out before the bribery scheme was discovered, prosecutors said.

Soriano also pleaded guilty to federal charges and awaits sentencing for accepting bribes from Cambridge, as well as other defense contractors.   

Cambridge previously pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a criminal fine of $2.25 million. The money it received was forfeited as a result of the plea deal and the company was placed on a two-year probationary period, prosecutors said.   

Thurston also received bonuses from his company totaling between $150,000 and $250,000 for his part in the bribery scheme, prosecutors said.  

Thurston's defense attorney, Jeremy Warren, wrote in a sentencing memorandum that his client ``makes no excuses,'' but the attorney said it should be noted that Cambridge was placed on probation, but its owners did not face charges while they were ``fully aware of and supported (Thurston's) actions.''