James Digman says he feared losing his job.
So when his boss, W. David Stoffregen, told him to create a fake document to cover up bribes to former state Sen. Thomas Bromwell, Digman said, he followed orders.
“I was just scared,” Digman, 63, of Forest Hill, told U.S. District Court Judge J. Frederick Motz on Wednesday. “Working for David Stoffregen, I made a lot of bad choices. I was afraid for my job.”
Motz said he didn?t believe Digman was a “bad person,” then sentenced him to six months in jail.
“People just can?t lie to investigators, and you can?t lie to the grand jury,” the judge said.
Digman?s company, Regional Air Systems, installed air-conditioning ductwork at Bromwell?s Parkville house at the direction of Poole and Kent, a Maryland mechanical contracting company.
On April 12, 2005, Digman testified in front of the grand jury that work he performed on Bromwell?s house was billed to Bromwell and not to Poole and Kent ? testimony that concealed the involvement between Bromwell and Stoffregen, the former chief executive officer who was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison.
Digman knew he billed Poole and Kent for the work performed on Bromwell?s house in June 2001 and that, more than a year later, he backdated an invoice for the work to Bromwell, prosecutors said.
“I?m not proud of the choices I?ve made,” Digman said Wednesday. “I?ve tarnished my family name.”
Once one of most powerful Maryland lawmakers, Bromwell, 58, a Baltimore County Democrat, served in the General Assembly for 23 years. Bromwell was sentenced to seven years in prison last month after admitting to taking bribes.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Stoffregen provided benefits to Bromwell in exchange for the senator?s influence. Stoffregen told Bromwell in 2000 that he would pay him about $80,000 annually to remain in his Senate office rather than leave to work in the private sector, prosecutors said.
Between 2001 and 2003, Stoffregen paid Bromwell $192,923 disguised as salary payments to the senator?s wife, Mary Patricia, for a no-show job.
Motz sentenced Mary Patricia Bromwell, 44, to one year and one day in prison last month.
Three others who have pleaded guilty in the case are awaiting sentencing this week.
