Ex-Army captain sentenced in bribe case

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 2 (UPI) -- A former U.S. Army captain was sentenced to 23 months in prison for conspiring to accept thousands of dollars in gratuities from contractors while in Iraq.

Sean Patrick O'Brien, 38, of Lawton, Okla., illegally assisted Iraqi contractors dealing with the U.S. government from the middle of 2008 to January 2009, accepting about $37,500 in cash and jewelry while deployed in Baghdad, court documents said.

O'Brien was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City by Judge Stephen P. Friot, who also ordered him to serve three years of supervised release and pay $37,500 in restitution to the U.S. government, The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman reported Tuesday.