TAMPA - The former president of a St. Petersburg-based defense contractor has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding the Defense Department of more than $200,000, according to court documents.
Jerry Scott Smith is scheduled to enter his guilty plea next month to a charge of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Under the plea agreement, the prosecution will recommend a reduced sentence, the plea agreement says.
According to the plea agreement, Smith was president of Triton Aerospace Inc., at 146 Second St. N., from about July 2004 through October 2005. In submitting bids for contracts to provide 'electronic and component parts,' Smith 'falsely represented that he would comply with the specifications of the contracts,' the agreement says.
Then, Smith provided parts that didn't meet specifications or weren't new, according to the agreement.
All told, the government paid $202,510 to Triton for 91 fraudulent contracts submitted by Smith, the plea agreement says.
For instance, one contract called for Triton to provide eight parts known as bevel gears, which are considered a 'critical application item' used on aircraft, including the B-52 bomber. Triton purchased three overhauled bevel gears for $650 and $750 and several surplus bevel gears, for a total of $7,500. Triton charged the Defense Supply Center $20,712.
When officials began to question the origin of the parts, Triton furnished a counterfeit invoice to make it look like the gears had been obtained from an authorized supplier, the plea agreement says.
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