Reduced sentence for former Atlanta procurement chief

ATLANTA - Secretly recorded conversations and his full cooperation with federal investigators lead to a dramatically reduced sentence for Atlanta's former chief procurement officer.

Adam Smith's 27-month prison sentence for conspiracy to commit bribery is the latest court action in the ongoing FBI and IRS bribery investigation at Atlanta city hall.

The biggest surprise during the court hearing was that Smith made some secretly taped recordings before the FBI ever approached him.

 U.S. Attorney BJay Pak wouldn't say who was recorded, but he did say he hopes the 27-month sentence will send a message to the public and to the new Mayor of Atlanta.

“I hope that the new administration takes a look at the history of what has happened at city hall and make adjustments and make changes for the better,” said Pak.

The sentencing today ended a long, illustrious career in law and the government for Adam Smith.

On February 21 of last year, 3 FBI agents, left city hall with the computer and cell phone belonging to the head of Atlanta's procurement office.

Adam Smith, a 14-year veteran at the time, oversaw the city's purchasing department that included every single major contract in the city. The city fired him the day of the search.

Smith plead guilty to one count of bribery conspiracy last fall. Today, during his sentencing prosecutors showed a picture of Smith after accepting a bribe from a city vendor, leaving a local restaurant.

Assistant US Attorney Jeff Davis said Smith took some 40 bribes like that one, generally at $1000 a pop, every two weeks, for two years. 

Davis said Smith provided inside information to the vendor who was doing business with the city.

No one in court named the contractor, but sources familiar with the case told the FOX 5 I-Team it was Jeff Jaffari, former VP of the PRAD Group – a large city vendor.

The federal prosecutor says Smith then provided the FBI and IRS with valuable information in the case, including those secretly recorded tapes.

“They're quite insightful, said Pak, “their full value will be seen as the case moves forward.”

Pak said Smith made multiple recordings before the FBI got involved that turned out to be “insightful.”

Prosecutors called the Morehouse graduate and Georgetown educated lawyer greedy. But more than 50 supporters swamped the courthouse in his defense.  Supporters took up every seat in the courtroom, spilled over to the jury box, and some stood in the doorway listening in.  

Character witnesses told Judge Steve Jones Smith was a kind, tender, mentor, public servant and devoted father whose bribes were an aberration to an otherwise stellar legal career.  

  A tearful Smith, at times wiping his eyes with a white handkerchief, said he lost his moral compass and that he was deeply remorseful. “I’d rather be anywhere in the world rather than standing here,” Smith said.

Judge Jones called Smith a man with a big heart, but said he was supposed to be the gatekeeper for Atlanta citizens, but failed at making sure the contract process was fair and honest.  Judge Jones sentenced Smith to 27 months in jail, 40% less than what Smith could have gotten, due to his full cooperation.

After the sentencing, Smith told me in the courtroom, “I made a mistake.”

Following the sentencing, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms administration issued a statement. This is it in full:

“Under this Administration, no impropriety – large or small – will be tolerated.  Today serves as a valuable lesson to all that no one person is above the law.

Since her inauguration, Mayor Bottoms has worked closely with her transition team to begin the process to overhaul the City’s procurement processes and restore public confidence in the City’s contracting practices. Identifying and recruiting a permanent Chief Procurement Officer with exemplary private-sector experience is a top priority for the transition team and that search will begin soon.

During her campaign, Ms. Bottoms also proposed a ten-point plan to strengthen ethics and transparency, including establishing checks to ensure any company bidding for city business that has also made campaign contributions wins based on merit and merit alone. Mayor Bottoms intends to work with her transition team, consult with leading experts, and partner with the Atlanta City Council to implement the full ten-point plan.”