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*** CORRECTION ***

In a press release issued yesterday, the company that Stewart recommended other court personnel purchase equipment from was incorrectly named. It should have said Ralston Communications Inc. Further, the effect of the scheme was not limited to the Middle District of Florida. Below is the full text of the press release with the corrections in bold.

FORMER CLERK OF A FLORIDA FEDERAL BANKRUPTCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A former clerk of a federal bankruptcy court in the Middle District of Florida today pleaded guilty to charges that he conspired to use his position in a scheme to earn thousands of dollars in bribery money by influencing the purchase of video conference equipment and other products by numerous federal courts.

Carl R. Stewart, 50, of Odessa, Florida, pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging him with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.

The criminal information was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Tampa.

According to court papers, beginning in the Spring of 1998 and continuing through May 2000, Stewart used his official position as clerk of the bankruptcy court to accept thousands of dollars in cash to recommend to court personnel of other federal courts that they purchase equipment from Roger Ralston, owner of Ralston Communications Inc., of Boca Raton. Ralston Communications Inc. sells video conference equipment and provides the installation, training and maintenance for the equipment.

As part of the bribery scheme, Stewart is also charged with using his position to influence the Federal Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Florida to purchase other products from two companies owned by Ralston at inflated prices and for equipment that was never to be delivered to the court.

The ongoing matter is being supervised by the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section and is being investigated by the FBI.

The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery is 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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