Camp Pendleton

A Vista man who pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge connected to the bidding on federal contracts was sentenced Monday to 90 days in federal prison.

Robert Rego, a former housing inspector at Camp Pendleton, pleaded guilty May 24 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. The conspiracy charge stemmed from an attempt to bribe other inspectors at the military base in an attempt to secure painting and building contracts for two firms, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors say Rego and several co-defendants were involved in a scheme to circumvent competitive bidding and to obtain inflated painting contracts.

Rego, of the 1700 block of Promenade Circle, also received a three-year suspended sentence from U.S. District Judge John S. Rhoades. He will be on probation for those three years and will be required to pay a $2,500 fine.

Rhoades said 90 days was “a fair sentence” because Rego “apparently made no money from the scheme.”