Escondido
An Escondido firm and its owner pleaded guilty Monday to giving an illegal gratuity to workers at the Navy Public Works Center as an inducement to steer business to the company.
Jacob Lubarsky, a San Marcos resident who owns Las Palmas Distributors, could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in federal prison.
His company could receive a fine not to exceed $2,000, Assistant U.S. Atty. George Hardy said.
According to the charge Lubarsky pleaded guilty to, he and the company gave a microwave oven and a wet/dry vacuum to an employee at the public works center and a special agent for the Naval Investigative Service who was posing as a worker.
The company does repair and maintenance for Navy refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Hardy said it also sells chemicals and parts.
U.S. District Judge J. Lawrence Irving set sentencing for April 24.
The company and Lubarsky were indicted Oct. 24 by a federal grand jury that alleged they gave televisions, trips to Hawaii, videocassette recorders and other items to mechanics and repairmen at the public works center.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and bribery of public officials, but those counts were dismissed when they pleaded guilty to the lesser charge.
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