COLUMBUS, Ohio – Stephan D. Boggs, 64, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $280,000 in restitution for supplying non-conforming military parts to the Department of Defense.
A United States District Court jury convicted Boggs of four counts of mail fraud and 21 counts of false claims in July 2016.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Brian J. Reihms, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Central Field Office, announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
According to court documents and testimony, Boggs served as the president of Boggs & Associates, Inc., a Department of Defense (DoD) contractor who sold and supplied a variety of parts used by the military.
From approximately April 2010 through January 2014, the DoD issued purchase orders to Boggs & Associates for a variety of military parts and components used on various military items including aircraft, vehicles and vessels. The parts were required to meet certain military specifications. The majority of these parts are considered critical application items. A critical application item is defined as an item essential to weapon system performance or operation, or the preservation of life or safety of operating personnel, as determined by military services.
Boggs was convicted for supplying non-conforming parts to the DoD through purchase orders issued by the Defense Logistics Agency in Columbus for parts used around the world.
The Agency’s testing center found that parts from 46 different purchase orders were non-conforming. Specifically, the parts were made from unauthorized substituted material, were dimensionally defective, used unauthorized inferior fittings, not heat treated properly, not plated properly and/or did not pass specified testing requirements.
During trial, the evidence showed that the inspection reports and certifications signed by Boggs and submitted to the government contained false and fraudulent representations.
“Defense contract fraud is extremely serious business,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “This kind of crime not only defrauds the government, but also jeopardizes our national security and puts at risk the lives of the men and women who serve in the military. I hope that Stephan Boggs serving time in federal prison will deter others who might be tempted to cheat on defense contracts.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by DCIS, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and J. Michael Marous, who prosecuted the case.
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