United States Attorney Beth Drake announced that Joseph Hamrick, age 68, of Goose Creek, was sentenced in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for receiving kickbacks involving federal contracts, in violation of 41 U.S.C. § 8702. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel, of Charleston, sentenced Hamrick to 12 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $50,000 fine.
The investigation in this case proved the existence of public corruption in construction contracts at the Joint Base in Charleston (JBC). JBC was formed in 2010 when the Naval Weapons Station and the Charleston Air Force base merged. As a large and aging military base, JBC hires private companies on a regular basis to renovate and/or build facilities.