SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Jeffery Parsons, 44, of Dillon, Montana, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced Monday to one year for exploiting his position within the U.S. Department of Defense. U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller also ordered Parsons to forfeit over $230,000 in ill-gotten gains. Parsons, a former Environmental Protection Specialist, used his authority to line his pockets, turning government resources into personal profit.
Court documents reveal Parsons’ corruption began in November 2009 when he took a position at Sierra Army Depot (SIAD) in Herlong, California. He later transferred to Naval Air Station Lemoore (NASL). As an Environmental Protection Specialist, Parsons was responsible for the disposal of hazardous materials – batteries, fuel, oil – but instead, he oversaw a shadow operation to divert valuable materials for illegal sale.
The scheme, hatched in October 2012, involved Parsons, his wife, and an associate, Travis Wong. Parsons abused his authority at SIAD, allowing Wong to pilfer valuable materials and, in return, receive a cut of the profits. This arrangement didn’t end with the transfer to NASL; it continued, with Parsons again facilitating Wong’s theft and profiting from the sales. Wong raked in approximately $314,000 from selling the stolen government property, funneling around $56,000 to Parsons and his wife. Payments were disguised as checks made out to a company registered to Parsons’ wife, and even to Parsons’ daughter.
But Parsons’ greed didn’t stop there. Simultaneously, he allowed his wife to directly sell materials from SIAD to third-party recycling companies, falsely claiming she had a legitimate contract with the depot. She misrepresented their authority, convincing the companies they were authorized to purchase materials removed from the installation. This parallel scheme netted Parsons’ wife approximately $175,000.
The jig was up when investigators from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command uncovered the widespread fraud. Travis Wong was previously sentenced on March 16, receiving three years of probation and ordered to forfeit approximately $314,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen prosecuted both cases, bringing the corrupt duo to justice.
This case is a stark reminder that even those entrusted with safeguarding government resources are susceptible to corruption. Parsons’ actions not only represent a breach of public trust but also a significant financial loss for taxpayers. The sentence serves as a warning: exploiting a position of authority for personal gain will be met with federal prosecution and imprisonment.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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