Posted on 10/30/2020 9:33:32 PM PDT by ransomnote
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 30, 2020
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Brooks Alonzo Parks was sentenced today to 27 months in prison and $25,405.76 in restitution for federal bribery conspiracy charges by U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
Parks is the latest U.S. Navy official to be sentenced in the wide-ranging corruption and fraud investigation involving foreign defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis and his Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA).
"Parks traded on his important position of trust, selling his loyalty to a foreign defense contractor," said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer. "Today’s sentence reinforces our commitment to promote respect for the law and to advocate for just punishment." U.S. Attorney Brewer commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Pletcher and the stellar team of law enforcement agents who dedicated countless hours to the successful investigation and prosecution of the GDMA corruption scheme.
"Brooks Parks’ sentencing is another unfortunate but fitting outcome because he willingly chose to put himself and his greed before the needs of the U.S. Navy," said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. "Mr. Parks succumbed to and personally benefited from the corrupt temptations provided to him by the disgraced Department of Defense contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia, Ltd. and its chief executive officer Leonard Francis. His actions were and remain inconsistent with the core values of the Navy and as this investigation demonstrates, the DCIS will work diligently with its law enforcement partners to protect those core values and associated taxpayers’ dollars the Department of Defense and the military services so immeasurably value."
"Ret. Chief Petty Officer Parks, who previously held a position of trust and responsibility within the Navy, betrayed his former service and deserves to be held accountable for illicitly seeking to receive gifts and other items of value in exchange for using his influence to benefit GDMA," said Special Agent in Charge Eric Maddox of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. "NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain dedicated to rooting out corruption and fraud that threatens the integrity of the Navy’s acquisition process and wastes taxpayer money."
Parks, 48, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, earlier this year pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, admitting that he conspired with Francis and others to receive things of value, including luxury hotel and travel expenses in exchange for taking official acts for the benefit of GDMA and violating his official duties to the United States Navy.
Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to bribery and fraud charges, admitting that he presided over a massive, decade-long conspiracy involving scores of U.S. Navy officials, tens of millions of dollars in fraud and millions of dollars in bribes - from cash, prostitutes and luxury travel accommodations to Cuban cigars, Kobe beef and Spanish suckling pigs.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, from December 2005 to February 2009, Parks, a Petty Officer First Class, served as the Logistics Lead Petty Officer ("LPO") on the staff of Commander, U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet, embarked on the USS Blue Ridge, the command ship for the Seventh Fleet. Parks was actively involved in managing the Seventh Fleet’s logistics support budget, signing and processing invoices, and performing other supervisory logistics functions for the Seventh Fleet.
Parks admitted that from March 2006 through March 2010, Francis paid for lavish hotel accommodations for Parks and his friends throughout Asia, as the USS Blue Ridge came into port. Parks had expensive taste and wasn’t restrained in demanding ever more luxuriant accommodations from GDMA. In one instance, Parks demanded the $4,800 per night Ritz Carlton Suite in Singapore, though he was ultimately provided
Executive Club Rooms at the Singapore Hilton at a cost of $3,400 for himself and his friends. In another instance related to a port visit in Hong Kong, Parks demanded "3 suites at a 5-star hotel," for himself. He specified, "I’m wanting a Presidential KING Suite (5 Star))." As Parks put it, "the Glen [GDMA] bug had bit the sh** out of me!!!" He assured Francis, "You know I’ve got your back like you’ve got mine."
In return for these bribes, Parks approved and expedited GDMA invoices and payment requests, provided substantial bidding and pricing information to GDMA as part of GDMA’s effort to crush its competitor in the Philippines, and provided limited ship port visit scheduling information.
So far, 34 defendants have been charged and 23 have pleaded guilty as part of this investigation, many admitting they accepted luxury travel and accommodations, meals or services of prostitutes from Francis in exchange for helping GDMA win and maintain contracts and overbill the Navy by millions of dollars.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 18-CR-3657-JLS
Brooks Alonzo Parks Age: 48 Upper Marlboro, Maryland
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
This story never ends. Glad they are taking it seriously but goodness it’s a long process.
As a Retired Navy Chief myself, I can tell you with all honesty, not all service members are deserving of respect just because they wear the Uniform. I wish they would have simply named the guy instead of involving his career path.
These guys sure didn’t get much in return for their favors - hotel rooms, meals, girls? Huh? This story goes on and on. Will be a 20 year projects to try all.
Disgusting! (Retired Army Officer)
PIAPS gives our uranium to Russia and goes free.
Even in the ary at company level, was always good to be good friends with the supply sgt.
Indeed it isn’t the uniform that makes the man/woman it’s the man/woman that makes the uniform what it stands for.
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