Army Major Smuggled $107,900 to US

U.S. Army Major Charles E. Sublett, 46, of Huntsville, Ala., was sentenced to 21 months in prison for making false statements to a federal agency, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

Sublett was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays in Memphis, Tenn. In addition to his prison term, Sublett was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $107,900 and 17,120,000 Iraqi dinar.

According to court documents, Sublett was deployed to Balad Regional Contracting Center on Logistical Support Area (LSA) Anaconda in Iraq from August 2004 through February 2005. As a contracting officer, Sublett was responsible for evaluating and supervising contracts with companies that provide goods and services to the U.S. Army.

Sublett admitted that, on Jan. 11, 2005, he sent a package from Balad, Iraq, to Killeen, Texas, which was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Memphis. Sublett admitted that he falsely described the contents of the package as books, papers, a jewelry box and clothes with a total declared customs value of $140 when, in fact, Sublett knew the package contained $107,900 in U.S. currency and 17,120,000 in Iraqi dinar.

Sublett also admitted that he failed to file a currency or monetary instruments transaction report (CMIR) as required by federal law when transporting currency in amounts of more than $10,000 into or out of the United States. During the plea hearing, Sublett admitted to making false claims to investigators regarding his attempt to bring the currency into the United States in an effort to impede their investigation.

This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Daniel A. Petalas and Deputy Chief Justin V. Shur of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case was investigated by Army Criminal Investigation Command; Defense Criminal Investigation Service; the FBI; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Major Sublett’s actions are a clear example of the corruption that can occur at the highest levels of our military. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such egregious behavior.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

White Collar Crime

Villafam Contracting Services, Fraud, TX 2005

Oct 6, 2004

White Collar Crime

Monopolists Abuse Wagner Act, Curb Demanded, Washington D.C., 1939

Nov 27, 1939

White Collar Crime

Matthew Taylor Morones, Bank Fraud Scheme, Beaumont TX, 2023

Mar 12, 2015

White Collar Crime

Jack Lee Hellbusch, Pollution, ID 2006

Sep 20, 2006