Two South Bay men have been sentenced respectively to six months in prison and six months home detention in a federal case of theft of public property and conspiracy to make fictitious and fraudulent claims to the U.S. Navy.
Joseph Bentley, 55, surrendered recently to a private prison contracted by the government in Taft and his projected release date is Dec. 5. The judge sentenced him to six months in prison plus two months to be served in a halfway house. Bentley was fined $10,300.
Eugene Cioe, 60, the former owner of Alcem Fencing Company in National City, was granted five years probation with a $2,500 fine by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Miller. Cioe was ordered to pay $4,764 to the Navy Facilities Engineering Command(NAVFAC).
Bentley was a civilian employee at NAVFAC and he supervised crews that did roofing, welding, paving, fencing, and other types of construction repair for the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Bentley arranged for the Navy to contract with Cioe on several jobs in exchange for Cioe paying him $6,500 in 2013.
Cioe presented false claims to the Navy for core-drilling work that was actually performed by NAVFAC employees under Bentley’s supervision. The work involved drilling 48 holes and set fencing posts at the Naval Base Coronado. Cioe invoiced the Navy the $4,764, which they paid him.
Miller told Bentley he committed the crime due to greed and violated the public trust. Bentley pleaded guilty to two counts of making false and fraudulent claims and theft of public property. Cioe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false claims.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said Bentley also used the Navy to purchase $3,545 in roofing materials which were installed on his father’s residence in Imperial Beach. Bentley became aware of the investigation, so he asked someone to backdate a work order to make it appear the work was on Coronado.
“Our office will continue to prosecute government insiders and military contractors who abuse and corrupt the procurement process to line their own pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson, who added the case was an example of federal law enforcement agencies “rooting out corruption.”
Gunnar Newquist, special agent at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, said: “Working together with our partner agencies, NCIS remains resolved to follow the evidence, to hold accountable those who make personal reward a higher priority than professional responsibility.”
Cioe’s attorney told Miller his client had successfully completed a drug treatment program. The fraud claims and conspiracy charges each carried a maximum five year term. Charges were filed against the pair in August, 2016.
