Pentagon Probe Figure Sentenced to Prison, Fined $5,000
Former defense consultant Mark Saunders was sentenced to 21 months in prison and fined $5,000 Friday for his role in funneling military procurement data to a defense contractor.
Saunders was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Albert V. Bryan Jr. for his role in the Pentagon procurement scandal that is the subject of a long-running Justice Department investigation dubbed Operation Ill Wind.
The investigation has resulted in nearly 40 convictions of Pentagon officials, consultants and executives of defense firms as well as several corporations.
Saunders, 56, was convicted on June 5 of conspiracy to defraud the government, wire fraud and conversion of government property. The former Navy procurement official who became a defense consultant was convicted of participating in a scheme to funnel secret Pentagon bid information to another defense consultant, who sold it to Norden Systems Inc., according to trial testimony.
Three Norden executives already have pleaded guilty to taking part in the operation.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
