News and Press Releases RSS feed
Sterling Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Charges of Falsely Claiming Minority and Service-Disabled Veteran Status for His Business
August 7, 2012

BOSTON - A Sterling, Mass. man was convicted today in federal court conspiring to defraud the Small Business Administration and other government contractors by falsely representing that his business was a minority and service-disabled veteran-owned and operated business.

Tyrone Jones, 48, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Had the case proceeded to trial, the Government’s evidence would have proven that Jones and his co-conspirators submitted statements to the Small Business Administration and other government agencies falsely representing that a minority and service-disabled veteran owned and managed the daily operations of the business. Jones and his conspirators arranged the charade in order to get federal government contract awards that were set aside for, or preferentially awarded to, disadvantaged minority and service-disabled veteran-owned and operated businesses.

Judge Hillman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 30, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. JOnes faces up to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the crime, whichever is greater fine.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Jeffrey G. Hughes, Special Agent in Charge
Northeast Field Office, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; Luis A. Hernandez, Special Agent in Charge, General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General New England Regional Investigations Office; Michael D. Conner, Special Agent in Charge, Boston Fraud Branch Office, US Army Criminal Investigation Command; Aaron Collins, Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, Small Business Region Office of Inspector General; and Robert Panella, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Labor Racketeering & Fraud Investigations, Office of Inspector General U.S. Department of Labor made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon E. Kelley and Sara Miron Bloom of Ortiz’s Office.

 

 

Return to Top

USAO Homepage
USAO Briefing Room

Coordination / Outreach

Cooordination / Outreach

Giving Back to the Community through a variety of venues & initiatives.

Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force

Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force

Victim Witness Assistance

Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.

Stay Connected: Visit us on Twitter

Stay Connected: Visit us on Twitter