Four suspects set to plead in Fort Sam $79 million bid-rigging case

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Four suspects set to plead in Fort Sam bid-rigging case

Web Posted: 09/19/2007 11:52 PM CDT

Guillermo Contreras
Express-News Staff Writer

Four of six men charged with participating in a scheme to rig $79 million in contracts at the U.S. Army Medical Command at Fort Sam Houston have agreed to plead guilty to bribery-related charges, go to prison and pay a total of $2.7 million in restitution.

Rather than go to trial and risk prison sentences of up to 25 years, the four accepted plea offers that would cap their prison sentences at seven years.

Two others charged have not accepted plea deals but are expected to soon.

Among those who accepted the deals are two former insiders at the Army Medical Command, or MEDCOM, William John "Bill" Strout Sr. and Ignacio "Nacho" Ruelas Torres. They agreed to plead guilty to accepting a bribe by a public official, which is punishable by a maximum of 15 years. Each agreed to seven years in prison. Torres also agreed to give up his interest in four properties investigators allege had connections to "dirty" money from the graft.

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