Fort Bragg vendor pleads guilty to embezzlement conspiracy
FORT BRAGG — More former Fort Bragg contractors and employees accused of embezzling money through government contracts have been sentenced, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Michael Easley on Nov. 9.
All of the accused either worked for Fort Bragg’s Directorate of Public Works office or were contracted by DPW, which provides maintenance to Fort Bragg's housing and buildings, during a time period when military families and soldiers complained about conditions of housing and barracks.
“This investigation is putting a stop to the culture of fraud that was prevalent on Fort Bragg,” Easley said in a statement. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those that steal from our government and line their pockets with money meant to support our troops.”
Darryl “Tim” Sealey, of Fayetteville, was the latest to plead guilty Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones Jr. for the multi-year conspiracy to embezzle government funds, according to the news release.
Sealey faces up to 60 months in prison, $6.3 million in restitution and a $3.5 million forfeiture judgment. His sentencing is anticipated in March next year.
He is accused of embezzling more than $1 million from September 2011 to June 2019.
According to court records, Sealey operated Aaron’s Supply, Inc., a company selling various supplies for the maintenance of equipment and facilities to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works at Fort Bragg.
Sealey was accused of conspiring with former DPW purchasing agent Morris Cooper to steer contracts for supplies to specific vendors in return for cash payments and gifts, and by inflating prices on supplies, increasing both the profits to the vendor and the cash payment made to Cooper and Cooper’s wife.
Morris and Beverley Cooper were sentenced in June 2021 after pleading guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.
Morris Cooper was sentenced to 17 months in prison, while his wife received a sentence of probation, and both agreed to jointly pay more than $6.3 million in restitution.
More:Man sent to federal prison over theft of government property from Fort Bragg
"Collusion between trusted government employees and contractors tears at the fabric of public trust and will simply not be tolerated,” said special agent in charge Christopher Dillard, who is part of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “We remain committed, along with our law enforcement partners, to rooting out fraud and corruption and safeguarding the valuable resources entrusted to the Department of Defense by the American taxpayer.”
More convictions
In addition to the Coopers, three former Fort Bragg DPW employees were also convicted and sentenced for receiving bribes from vendors during the same time frame in the same office.
Calvin Jordan was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison on May 18; Stephen Paul Sabato was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on Oct. 28; and Edward Crisco was sentenced to a year and one day in federal prison on Nov. 3.
Jordan was a procurement agent assigned to operations and maintenance at Fort Bragg’s DPW; Crisco was a flooring technician assigned to Fort Bragg's DPW's operations and maintenance; and Sabato was a roofing technician assigned to Fort Bragg’s operations and maintenance.
More:'Lining his own pockets': Why a former Fort Bragg employee was sentenced to in prison
According to the indictment for Jordan, Sabato and Crisco, from September 2011 to August 2019, Jordan was accused of accepting payments from businesses in return for increasing the amount of federal contracts the businesses received.
Crisco and Sabato were accused of accepting payments in return for increasing federal contract amounts during the same time period and “recommending particular contractors for jobs and bypassing their work on inspection without regard to completion workmanship.”
More:Fort Bragg employees accused of bribery, money laundering
Jordan was accused of embezzling at least $1.08 million; Sabato was accused of embezzling at least $200,000; and Crisco was accused of embezzling at least $50,000.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fort Bragg contractor charged with embezzlement
