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Former TV reporter pleads guilty to scamming federal government
By CHRIS DETTRO
The State Journal-Register (Illinois)
November 18, 2008
A Springfield [Illinois] advertising agency owner and former television newsman admitted Monday he bilked the government out of more than $500,000 by inflating the number and cost of anti-drunken-driving billboards he was hired to produce.
Robert G. Sullinger, 59, owner of Great Plains Group LLC of Springfield, pleaded guilty in federal court to two charges accusing him of fraudulently billing for $554,510 in federal funds earmarked to pay for anti-DUI billboards.
Sullinger, of the 4500 block of Greenbriar Road, will be sentenced March 30 by U.S. District Judge Jeanne Scott.
Sullinger pleaded guilty to two counts of making false claims and one count of making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
Federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss six other counts, including two counts of mail fraud. They also agreed to seek a sentence of no more than the lower one-third of the federal sentencing guideline range.
Each of the three counts to which Sullinger pleaded guilty is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Restitution also may be part of the sentence.
Several factors are used to determine the sentencing guideline range, including a defendant’s criminal history and the amount of money involved in the crimes.
“Submission of inflated invoices and lies to investigators to cover it up will justifiably earn the defendant a federal prison sentence,” said Rodger Heaton, U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois. “Anyone who seeks to exploit and enrich himself from public funds takes the same risk.”
Sullinger was paid more than $1.5 million in federal grant money that was passed through the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office to produce and post billboards and posters throughout the state.
Sangamon County also paid the advertising agency $172,750, for which it was not reimbursed.
Sullinger presented a proposal via Great Plains to post anti-drunken-driving billboards, both vinyl and paper, in December 1998. From 1999 to 2004, however, Sullinger submitted invoices that overstated the number of billboards his agency produced and posted, resulting in the overpayment.
He also lied about facts related to the investigation when he was interviewed by FBI agents.
IDOT Secretary Milton Sees said he was pleased to learn that Sullinger pleaded guilty.
“We are disappointed in Mr. Sullinger’s actions but are thankful for the hard work and dedication of federal and local law enforcement, as well as employees within IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety, who made it a priority to shed light on his wrongdoing and hold him accountable,” Sees said.
Sullinger’s trial on the charges started last week. The government had called several witnesses through Friday and had additional witnesses scheduled today before the plea agreement was reached.
The case is being prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Patrick Hansen and Jason Bohm.
Springfield attorneys Howard Feldman and Stanley Wasser represent Sullinger, who was a reporter for WICS-TV Channel 20 for 11 years until late 1985.
Chris Dettro can be reached at 788-1510.
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