WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A federal district court Friday sentenced a former Interior Department official for a felony conflict-of-interest violation, the U.S. Attorney General's office said.
The prosecution follows months and years of tough censure of the Interior Department, with government auditors, the inspector general and watchdog groups excoriating the agency for its crony-istic relationships with the oil and gas industry, poor accountability systems and lax ethical standards.
Jimmy W. Mayberry, 65, of Strawn, Texas, a former Special Assistant to the Associate Director of Minerals Revenue Management at the DOI's Minerals Management Service was sentenced to two years of probation and a $2,500 fine by a D.C. district court judge.
According to court documents, Mayberry and his former supervisor created a consulting position as he neared retirement from federal service. The position, although intended specifically for Mayberry, was required by law to be the subject of open and fair competitive bidding, the AG's office said.
In a related case, Milton Dial, a former deputy associate director of Minerals Revenue Management, also pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the post-government employment restriction.
Earlier this year, the DOI Inspector General issued a report that exposed more than a dozen employees - including Gregory Smith, then director of the royalty-in-kind program that accepts crude volumes in lieu of cash - had improperly accepted gifts from the oil and gas industry.
Inspector General Earl Devaney said some of the RIK employees were also engaged in drug use and illicit sexual relationships with other staff at the Denver, Colo.-based offices, as well as with industry representatives.
-By Ian Talley, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9285; ian.talley@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 14, 2008 14:08 ET (19:08 GMT)

Publié le 14 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones