Two Contractors Plead Guilty to Bribing SPAWAR Official

United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Elizabeth Ramos and her husband, Louis Williams, pled guilty today in federal court in San Diego to wire fraud in connection with the continuing corruption prosecution involving Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (“SPAWAR”), a government organization based in San Diego. Ramos and Williams tendered their guilty plea before United States Magistrate Judge Anthony Battaglia, subject to final acceptance by United States District Court Judge Larry A. Burns, at the time of sentencing.

In pleading guilty, Ramos and Williams admitted that from 1999 to 2008, they paid between $200,000 and $400,000 in cash to Gary and Kelly Alexander in return for Gary Alexander’s using his influence as a SPAWAR official to ensure that Ramos’ and Williams’ company, Technical Logistics Corporation (TLC), be hired to perform work under government contracts. According to their plea agreements, Ramos and Williams admitted that pursuant, to the deal with Alexander, TLC was hired as a subcontractor on several occasions by Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc.(Kratos) and was paid a total of approximately $4.8 million. In addition to the cash, Ramos and Williams admitted that they also gave Alexander a Rolex watch, expensive dinners, mens’ clothing, and a Palm Springs vacation, in order to maintain the contracts already awarded and to continue receiving additional government work. Further, Ramos admitted that Alexander and Godwin directed her to hire Sinthia Nares as a TLC employee, to pay her over $90,000 per year, and to charge her salary to the government through Kratos. Finally, Ramos admitted that Godwin directed her to buy televisions, home theater systems, and other audio-visual equipment totaling $13,000, and that Godwin falsely billed them to the government as legitimate computer purchases.

TLC is the second contractor that admitted to paying the Alexanders in order to win government contracts. In August 2008, Pamela Banks admitted to paying the Alexanders between $70,000 and $120,000 in return for contracts for her company, Advance Technical Solutions. Banks is currently serving a two-year sentence in federal prison, and is also cooperating with authorities.

According to court records, Ramos and Williams were indicted in July 2009, along with SPAWAR officials Gary and Kelly Alexander, prime contractor Jackie Godwin, and Sinthia Nares. The indictment charged the defendants with wire fraud, bribery, and related offenses concerning government contracts administered by SPAWAR. Additionally, the Alexanders are charged with filing false tax returns. The charges pending against the Alexanders, Godwin, and Nares are scheduled for trial before the Honorable Larry Burns in January 2010.

United States Attorney Hewitt praised the work of the agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation for their continued efforts in this public corruption investigation.

A sentencing hearing for Ramos and Williams is scheduled for February 8, 2010 at 9:30 a.m., before Judge Larry A. Burns.

DEFENDANT	Case Number: 08cr2367-LAB
Elizabeth Ramos	Age: 42	Chula Vista, California
Louis Williams	Age: 43	Chula Vista, California

SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, 1346 - Wire fraud.

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Internal Revenue Service

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