A Department of Veterans Affairs contracting officer who took a week-long theme park bribe now won’t be able to leave his house.
Anthony Castaneda, of Oakdale, Calif., was sentenced to five months of house arrest on Feb. 16 for accepting bribes to steer VA construction contracts.
Federal court documents showed that Castaneda accepted a theme park vacation package worth $2,250 in 2010 in return for recommending a contractor for construction jobs, including on the VA hospital at the former Mather Field in Sacramento.
The five-day theme park adventure Castaneda took with his family in October 2010 turned out to be the second bribe he had received from the contractor, who ponied up a $1,440 vacation package in 2008.
In addition to the five months of house arrest, Casteneda also received two years of probation, a $2,000 fine and must forfeit the value of the 2010 trip.
Federal authorities said in a release that the contractor pleaded guilty on Dec. 16 and was sentenced to three years of probation.
