One of two men accused of stealing more than $4 million from the federal government while working for the Savannah River Site’s MOX program could face up to five years in prison after entering into a plea agreement on Friday. Meanwhile, the other suspect has waived his right to a speedy trial and wants the case to continue.
In December 2015, the Department of Justice announced the indictment of Aaron Vennefron of Hamilton, Ohio, and Phillip Thompson of Augusta, Ga., on 13 counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds, and two counts of conspiracy. The two were indicted based on their work at the SRS Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) – which, once completed, is expected to convert 34 metric tons of nuclear weapon-usable plutonium into commercial nuclear fuel.
Vennefron formed Ohio-based AV Security in 2010 for “the sole purpose of submitting false invoices for non existent goods,” according to the indictment. Vennefron worked with Thompson, a senior representative for the MOX project through his work at Wise Services, which was formed in 1993 to serve as a subcontractor at a Department of Energy facility on Ohio. Wise added services in South Carolina when it was hired as a subcontractor for the MOX project, prosecutors said.
Thompson and Vennefron willingly created false invoices and collected money on those invoices from lead project contractor CB&I AREVA MOX Services, the indictment says. It alleges that on several occasions, goods were assumed to be purchased from another Ohio company, Ross Hardware, even though “no goods were provided.” Vennefron allegedly would fax the invoices from the hardware store to Wise Services in South Carolina. From there, Thompson would submit the invoices to CB&I AREVA MOX Services for payment.
Thompson entered into the plea deal ahead of a pretrial conference scheduled for Monday. “The Defendant agrees to plead guilty to Count 15 of the Indictment now pending, which charges ‘Conspiracy to commits Theft of Government Funds,’” the agreement states.
The punishment for the offense is up to five years in prison, a fine of as much as $250,000, a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. A court date for Thompson’s sentencing has not yet been set, but that generally occurs 30 to 60 days after the plea agreement.
While Thompson awaits sentencing, Vennefron maintains his innocence. On Monday, U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs approved a motion from Vennefron’s lawyer to continue the case. “By requesting this continuance or consenting thereto, the Defendant has waived his rights to a speedy trial,” Childs wrote in the order. “The Court finds that this continuance will serve the interests of justice, and that those interests outweigh the interests of the Defendant and the public in a more speedy disposition of this case.”
Keeping with the tentative schedule set before the pretrial conference, the case is expected to continue with jury selection on March 6.
