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Ex-Detroit library official pleads guilty to taking $1.4 million in kickbacks [Detroit Free Press :: ](Detroit Free Press (MI) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 16--A former Detroit Public Library official pleaded guilty to bribery today, admitting he awarded millions of dollars worth of no-bid contracts to two businessmen and took more than $1.4 million in kickbacks in return for the favors. Timothy Cromer, the library's former chief administrative and technology officer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and receipt of bribery by a public official before U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced in August. According to court documents, Cromer was charged with taking more than $1.4 million in bribes and kickbacks from library contractors in a scheme that started in 2007. That's when, records show, Cromer helped contractor James Henley create a business called Core Consulting & Professional Services and then instructed Henley to submit a proposal for information technology services at the library. According to court documents, Cromer arranged for Core to win the bid and approved various change orders and extensions, causing the library to pay Core about $1.8 million. Henley was charged with kicking back about $500,000 to Cromer until Core's contract with the library was terminated in January 2008. Cromer terminated the contract to prevent officials from discovering the kickback scheme. Even after the contract was terminated, Cromer instructed Henley to continue submitting invoices on behalf of Core. Cromer continued to approve the invoices, and Henley kicked back an additional $125,000 to Cromer. Henley also was charged in the case and pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy last May. He faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced June 3. Cromer also was charged with receiving kickbacks from technology contractor Ricardo Hearn. Authorities said that Cromer approved no-bid professional services contracts for Hearn's company, Cubemation, to perform information technology services for the Detroit Public Library from 2008 until 2010. According to the indictment, Cubemation received about $2.8 million in payments from the library, and Hearn delivered about $800,000 in cash to Cromer during that time period. Hearn also was charged in the incident and pleaded guilty last June to bribery conspiracy. He faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced June 3. Contact Tresa Baldas: [email protected] ___ (c)2014 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |