A self-proclaimed “Godfather of Camp Pendleton” was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for accepting $100,000 in bribes.
Investigators say U.S. Department of Defense employee Natividad “Nate” Cervantes used his position to extort bribes from companies seeking to do business with Camp Pendleton. According to the FBI, Cervantes accepted bribes since as early as September 2008.
Cervantes, 64, pleaded guilty in January in federal court along with six other government contractors in connection to bribery and the kickback scheme at federal facilities.
In pleading guilty, Cervantes admitted using his position at Camp Pendleton to solicit bribes from construction companies seeking to do business on the base,
From 2008 until March 2013, Cervantes served at Camp Pendleton as supervisor of the Construction and Service Contracts Inspection Branch, Facilities Support Contract Division.
During that time, Cervantes used his position supervising construction and service contracts to solicit contractors for bribes from their companies, prosecutors said. In return for helping to steer contracts, Cervantes received cash payments and extensive free construction work on his personal condominium.
