Former Maryland official pleads guilty to bribery conspiracy

BALTIMORE, Md. - A former senior Maryland official has pleaded guilty to bribery relating to information technology contracts with a state agency, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Isabel FitzGerald held several offices in the Maryland state government from February 2007 to August 2013. They included chief information officer of the Department of Human Resources, a consultant indirectly compensated by DHR, and as the agency’s deputy secretary of operations.

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While she was employed as a government agent from December 2011 to January 2013, FitzGerald received financial benefits from two senior members of an information technology company in exchange for influence in connection with the performance of favorable acts, prosecutors said.

In the process of influencing contracts, FitzGerald used her own company, Aeon Consulting and Technical Services, Inc., to facilitate contracts and favorable business dealings, prosecutors said.

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The guilty plea was announced by Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski, of the FBI’s Baltimore field office.

As part of the plea, FitzGerald will be ordered to pay $38,310 in restitution. She faces up to 10 years in prison for bribery involving an agent of a program receiving federal funds.

U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm has scheduled sentencing for Oct. 13.