Environmental Firm President Sentenced For Defrauding The Government

PITTSBURGH – An Armstrong County man was sentenced in federal court to eight months of imprisonment, to be followed by eight months of home detention and then 18 months of supervised release, on his conviction for wire fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry imposed the sentence on Michael Fullard, 54, of Apollo, Pa.

According to information presented to the court, Fullard was the President of Fullard Environmental Controls ("FEC") located in Ford City. FEC performed demolition services in 2007 for the United States Department of the Navy in Beaufort, South Carolina. The Information alleged that Fullard, along with Barry K. Peterson, who was a co-owner of FEC, defrauded the government by submitting false information to the Department of the Navy regarding the costs that were incurred by FEC to perform the demolition services. Fullard and Peterson, through FEC, defrauded the government in the amount of approximately $772,701.10. As part of the sentence, Judge McVerry ordered Fullard to pay a forfeiture judgment to the United States Government in the amount of $772,701.10.

Additionally, Fullard is required to fulfill his obligations pursuant to a civil Settlement Agreement. Fullard was instrumental in aiding the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorneys’ Office in the recovery of $462,000.00 in federal contract payments earmarked for Fullard’s company, payments that otherwise would have been beyond the reach of the United States Government. As a result of this recovery, the government did not seek, and Judge McVerry did not order, any restitution over and above the forfeiture amount of $772,701.10.

Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Skirtich secured the False Claims Act settlement.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Naval Criminal Investigative Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fullard.