A former Navy civilian employee and a defense contractor pleaded guilty to defrauding the Navy by filing false claims related to government contracts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
Joseph H. Bentley, 55, who worked at Navy Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced Dec. 2 in U.S. District Court in San Diego.
Eugene Cioe, 59, faces up to five years behind bars.
Both men pleaded guilty Thursday before Magistrate Judge Jan Adler.
According to prosecutors, Bentley supervised crews that did welding, roofing, paving, fencing and other types of construction repair, as well as maintenance work for the Navy and Marine Corps.
As part of his job duties, Bentley was responsible for requesting and authorizing the purchase of materials, supplies and labor from local supplies and contractors.
One of the individuals he arranged for the Navy to contract with was Cioe, owner of Alcem Fencing Co. in National City before May 2013 and then of Cioe Fencing Consultant and Material Sales.
According to Cioe’s plea agreement, the two agreed that Bentley would recommend, authorize or otherwise arrange for Cioe to receive orders for purchases from the Navy in exchange for providing Bentley with a kickback.
In one deal detailed in court papers, Bentley arranged in June 2011 for Alcem to receive more than $7,000 for a job on Building 322 on Naval Base San Diego through a Napa Auto Parts purchase.
After billing the Navy and receiving $7,154 in government funds for materials for Building 322, Cioe paid Bentley $1,500.
In February 2013, Bentley arranged for Alcem to receive another job with the Navy in exchange for a $5,000 kickback.
The following year, Cioe admitted presenting false claims to the Navy for core-drilling work that was in fact performed by employees at Naval Facilities Engineering Command.
In addition to the false claims admitted to by both defendants, Bentley admitted to using the Navy to buy $3,545 in roofing materials that he falsely claimed were for a roofing project on Building 618 on Naval Base Coronado. Bentley actually used the materials on his personal residence in Imperial Beach.
–City News Service
