Greenbelt, Maryland - A former General Services Administration (GSA) contracting officer's representative pled guilty today, for his role in agreeing to accept bribes from construction companies.

Lennie Lamont Miller, 60, of Brandywine, Maryland, pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official. According to his guilty plea, Miller conspired with Christopher Brackins, 52, of Mt. Airy, Maryland, to direct GSA federal project work to Company A, which Brackins owned. Miller also conspired with James Tillman, 58, of Washington, DC, owner of Company D, to engage in a similar scheme. GSA is a federal agency that manages federal properties. Company A and Company D are general construction companies that performed subcontracting work on GSA projects.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice (DOJ) - Criminal Division; Deputy Inspector General Robert C. Erickson, GSA Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Inspector General Platte B. Moring III, U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG); and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG).

As outlined in court documents, between 2018 and 2021, Miller and Brackins knowingly and willfully conspired together for Miller to exercise his authority over the GSA contracting process. Through the scheme, Miller directed GSA federal project work to Company A in exchange for cash and other things of value.

Miller effectively paired Company A with prime contractors Company B and Company C to work on GSA federal projects. He solicited and accepted things of value, in return, from Brackins, including cash, checks, payments for repairs to his vehicle, and payments for repairs at a residence owned by Miller's relative.

Brackins provided Miller with approximately $50,000 worth of money and other things of value. Bribery payments included, in late 2018, Brackins paying a fraudulently inflated bonus to one of his employees. Brackins then directed the employee to pay Miller $8,000 in cash from the fraudulently inflated bonus check. Similarly, in early 2021, Brackins paid Miller $25,000, at Miller's direction, using an intermediary who accepted the payments through the intermediary's air-conditioning repair business.

Beginning in early 2020, and continuing until at least mid-2021, Miller also funneled work to Company D in exchange for cash and other things of value. Miller introduced Tillman to Company C personnel, effectively pairing Company D and Company C together to bid on GSA federal projects. The former GSA contracting officer's representative then solicited and accepted things of value from Tillman, including cash, a sports car, and moving expenses for his romantic partner.

Miller faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Thursday, April 30, at 2 p.m.

Tillman pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal public official in February 2025. His sentencing is Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m. Brackins pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal public official, wire fraud, and unlawful possession of a machine gun in April 2025. He is getting sentenced on Thursday, August 6, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the GSA-OIG, FBI, DHS-OIG, and DoD OIG Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo, along with Acting Chief Edward P. Sullivan and Trial Attorney Jonathan Jacobson, DOJ Criminal Division - Public Integrity Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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