Local News in Brief : 2 Indicted in Defense Pact Kickbacks Probe
Two employees of Precision Center Co. of Sun Valley have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly paying kickbacks for defense contract work, the U.S. attorney’s office said Tuesday.
Sergio Arias, 36, of Pacoima and Jorge Jose Renteria, 27, of Burbank each face up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted of the charges, Assistant U.S. Atty. Brian Hennigan said.
The federal prosecutor alleged that Arias, a vice president of Precision Center, and Renteria paid bribes of $1,500 and $1,600 to Richard Blum, a senior buyer at Menasco Inc., for work on the TOW anti-tank missile system.
Blum contacted the legal staff at Menasco, which alerted federal law enforcement officials, Hennigan said.
Arias and Renteria are to be arraigned Aug. 15.
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