Former U.S. Army Range Operations Manager Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy

News Release from US DoJ, May 2, 2019

A former U.S. Army civilian employee pleaded guilty today to conspiring to accept bribes and disclose sensitive U.S. Army procurement information while serving as a range operations manager at Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks. 

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price of the District of Hawaii, Special Agent in Charge Ray Park of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (Army-CID), Special Agent in Charge Bryan Denny of the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and Special Agent in Charge Sean Kaul of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office made the announcement.

Franklin Raby, 67, of Greeneville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer of the Eastern District of Tennessee to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery and disclose sensitive U.S. Army procurement information.  Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2019.

According to admissions as part of his plea agreement, from March 2015 through May 2018, Raby, while employed as a public official for the U.S. Army, accepted tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes—including an antique automobile—from an employee of a federal contractor that sought and received business from the United States Army.  In return, Raby provided the contractor with sensitive, internal U.S. Department of Defense procurement information, and otherwise used his position to benefit the contractor in securing U.S. Army contracts.

Army-CID, DCIS and the FBI investigated this case.  Trial Attorney Laura Connelly and Assistant Chief Justin Weitz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Wallenstein of the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.  The Fraud Section appreciates the substantial assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

PDF: Indictment

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SA: Steering an eventual $2.2 million vegetation control contract to Cherokee Nation Environmental Solutions, with REK as a subcontractor

…In March 2018 Raby tried to steer another Schofield contract to REK, the plea agreement said, but the Army determined it wanted to use an “8(a)” tribal- owned, disadvantaged small business.

REK’s “senior construction manager” told Raby he should suggest Cherokee Nation Environmental Solutions — to which REK would serve as subcontractor, according to the plea….

His LinkedIn page shows him as a project manager with REK Associates….

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Statement regarding Department of Justice press release

News Release from US Army Hawaii PAO

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (May 2, 2019) — In a press release today, the Department of Justice announced that a former U.S. Army Hawaii range operations manager pleaded guilty to conspiracy.

Franklin Raby pleaded guilty to a “one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery and disclose sensitive U.S. Army procurement information,” according to the Dept. of Justice. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5. Raby served as a range operations manager for the U.S. Army Hawaii Range Division at Schofield Barracks from May 2006-May 2018.

U.S. Army Hawaii is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards and fully supports the thorough investigation and prosecution of suspected cases of fraud, waste or abuse.

We continue to emphasize to our employees that, as federal employees, they play a critical role in ensuring the legal, ethical and appropriate use of resources entrusted to us. If at any time they suspect wrongdoing, they are urged to contact authorities.

U.S. Army Hawaii will continue to support the efforts of the Army Criminal Investigation Command, the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI in their investigation of this case.

Questions regarding this case should be directed to the Department of Justice.