Swapped parts land contractor in federal prison

What’s the difference between a 41-cent nut and one costing $6.62? Two years in federal prison for a contractor who substituted “nonconforming” parts among those supplied to the U.S. military.

Supporters of Stephan D. Boggs, 64, of Clintonville, packed a courtroom for his sentencing Friday. U.S. District Judge James L. Graham referenced scores of letters “that paint Mr. Boggs as an outstanding man.”

But prosecutors contended that Boggs’ arrogance led him to believe he knew better than the engineers who designed the specification for the “critical” parts.

“It is not OK for him to substitute his judgment for theirs,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marous told Graham at Boggs’ sentencing. A jury convicted Boggs of mail fraud in July for supplying the nonconforming parts between 2010 and 2014.

The $6.62 nut was made of stainless steel, which better withstands salt water than the cheaper, zincplated carbon steel nut — an important difference since it was part of the catapult and stopping gear used to launch and land planes on aircraft carriers, prosecutors said.

Graham noted that Boggs, owner of Boggs & Associates machine shop on the East Side, had served in the Air Force and that his son did two tours in Iraq. There was no evidence Boggs’ parts harmed anyone, the judge said, but “we don’t know whether they have.”

The judge also said there was no evidence that Boggs made a windfall profit substituting parts.

The sentence should deter other contractors who might consider not following specifications on military contracts, Graham said.

Prosecutors had wanted a sentence similar to the four years imposed in 2012 on Jerome Rabinowitz of New York for supplying substandard parts. Rabinowitz also paid $492,024 in restitution and fines.

Boggs must pay $279,650 in restitution. Graham didn’t impose a fine and gave Boggs 60 days to report to prison.

Cases involving contractors supplying nonconforming parts are often heard at the Columbus federal courthouse, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman said. A division of the Defense Logistics Center that issues military contracts is located at the Defense Supply Center in Whitehall.