Former Camden Town Manager Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud

Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt announce that former Camden Town Manager James O. Plumley, III, age 62, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud before United States District Court Judge Richard G. Andrews. Plumley’s guilty plea stems from his role in a kickback scheme that he orchestrated to unlawfully defraud the state of Delaware of over $200,000 in years 2004 through 2008. Plumley’s partner in the scheme—William P. Mahon, of W.P. Mahon Inc., a contractor in Wilmington—also pleaded guilty today.

From facts disclosed at the plea hearing, Plumley was employed at Roofing Resources Inc. in 2004 through 2008 and was responsible for assisting the state of Delaware’s Division of Facilities Management (DFM) select qualified contractors to repair and maintain roofs at state-owned facilities. Plumley used this position to steer roofing contracts to Mahon. In return and at Plumley’s direction, Mahon inflated his project bids by a specified amount, which he later deposited into Plumley’s checking account as a kickback after the DFM paid him for the job. Over the course of the scheme, the FBI was able to identify $204,000 in kickbacks that Plumley received from Mahon—money that Plumley and Mahon agreed to repay to the state of Delaware pursuant to their plea agreements.

This case was made possible through substantial cooperation by the Camden Police Department—including Chief of Police William E. Bryson and Captain Gary Melvin—who conducted the initial investigation of Plumley and provided the FBI with a strong foundation for its case here.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn A. Weede and Jennifer L. Hall. For further information, please contact Public Information Officer Kimberlynn Reeves at (302) 573-6277, ext. 16287.