A former civilian senior procurement official for the Navy in California will spend nearly six years in federal prison for taking $1.2 million in illegal kickbacks, the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday.

Fernando Barroso Sr., 69, worked for 22 years as the master scheduler for Naval Base Ventura County’s public works department, a position that saw him overseeing the Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island installations.

Once responsible for approving Navy material purchases, vendors, vendor payments and service contracts, Barroso pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and signing a false federal income tax return, according to the Justice Department.

“Barroso admitted in his plea agreement that he defrauded the United States, submitted false claims for payment and accepted bribes,” a release announcing Barroso’s 70-month sentence states.

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Barroso’s crimes also involved Theodore Bauer, a local businessman who operated businesses that received Navy contracts, according to the release.

The two forged an agreement in 2008 where Bauer would submit false invoices on behalf of his firms and Barroso would approve the invoices and payments “even though work was not being performed,” and then split the gains, according to the statement.

Bauer paid Barroso more than $375,000 in cash from 2008 to mid-September 2011.

On Sept. 14, 2011, Barroso created F. Barroso & Sons and Bauer began issuing checks to them. By late 2013, Barroso had bought a majority stake in a maintenance company and Bauer paid kickbacks to it, too.

Federal agents determined that Bauer paid $846,100 in kickbacks through checks.

Bauer pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to commit bribery and will be sentenced later this month.

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Barroso also admitted to failing to report more than $95,200 in kickbacks on his 2011 tax return and claiming $331,225 of fictitious deductions in 2012, according to prosecutors.

In addition to his prison sentence, Barroso was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the Navy and the IRS.

Barroso’s attorney, Allen Eisner, said in an email that his client was remorseful, had no prior criminal history and pleaded guilty “at the earliest possible time and accepted full responsibility for his conduct.”

“We believe respectfully that 70 months was greater than necessary to achieve the purposes of sentencing in this case,” Eisner said.

Geoff is the editor of Navy Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

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