TOPEKA, KS—A former sales manager for the company that makes Glock firearms was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison for conspiring to take bribes and kickbacks, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

James Craig Dutton, 44, Acworth, Ga., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud Glock by accepting bribes and kickbacks from a gun dealer in return for preferential treatment.

Co-defendant John Sullivan Ralph, III, was sentenced to 18 months after pleading to conspiracy. Ralph, who owned Global Guns & Hunting, Inc., of Olathe, doing business as OB Guns, admitted he paid 140 bribes and kickbacks to Glock employees totaling approximately $900,000. Dutton, who was an assistant national sales manager for Glock, admitted he conspired with Ralph and others. Dutton received cash payments, gifts and other things of value from Ralph and he concealed those payments from Glock.

Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway for their work on the case.