Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Helena, on March 26, 2009, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, JAY MARTIN GASVODA, a 56-year-old resident of Sula, appeared for sentencing. GASVODA was sentenced to a term of:

• Special Assessment: $100

• Fine: $10,000

GASVODA was sentenced after having been found guilty during a 21/2-day trial of making false statements to a federal agency. GASVODA had entered into a contract with the U.S. Forest Service to provide equipment to fight fires. He was also to supply trained personnel.

The investigation revealed that he had provided false information about the qualifications of his employees and had also falsified documents to substantiate the false information.

Although GASVODA did perform the work required by the contract, he would not have have been awarded the contract if the Forest Service had known that his employees were not qualified to run the equipment.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that GASVODA will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, GASVODA does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the Law Enforcement and Investigations Division of the U.S. Forest Service.

 

 

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