Former Polk County School District Assistant Superintendent of Facilities and Operations Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

TAMPA, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Robert L. Williams (67, Winter Haven) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. According to the plea agreement, from December 2004 through at least January 2009, the School Board of Polk County administered the activities of the school district, including the construction of schools, through a school superintendent and a number of assistant superintendents. The defendant, Robert L. Williams, was the Assistant Superintendent of Facilities and Operations for the Polk County School District. Defendant Williams was an influential official in the procedure for awarding school construction contracts and he was in a position to influence and to make recommendations in that process.

According to the factual summary in the plea agreement, Defendant Williams in fact exercised his authority as an agent of Polk County to benefit alleged conspirators. During the relevant time frame alleged, conspirators provided Williams with numerous things of value. Those things of value included vacation trips, fishing and sporting excursions, airline travel, and construction and remodeling work at the Williams’ residence. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain caused by the offense, or twice the gross loss caused by the offense, whichever is greater, and a term of supervised release of not more than three (3) years. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Attorney General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Monk in conjunction with United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division counsel.