Boston - A Scituate man was convicted today in federal court for violating business regulations on federally-funded projects at the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).
Robert L. Dickerson, 60, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
During a 10-year-period, Dickerson’s business, Woodchuck’s Building and Home Center, which was certified as a Disadvantaged Business Entity (DBE), purported to be a supplier of windows and doors on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funded projects at Massport. Federally-funded construction contracts require a certain percentage of legitimate minority participation. Co-defendants Dennis DeGrazia and David Hebert, who have previously pleaded guilty, used Dickerson’s company to meet their DBE goal on several FAA-funded residential soundproofing contracts. However, rather than actually providing materials or performing any work, Dickerson merely acted as a pass-through and falsely submitted paperwork to Massport. Dickerson was paid a fee for acting as a pass-through for each contract during the conspiracy.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2012 at 2:00. DeGrazia and Hebert are scheduled for sentencing on December 17, 2012. Dickerson faces up to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Theodore L. Doherty, III, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Transportation, OIG Office of Investigations, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia M. Carris, Amanda P.M. Strachan and Jeffery M. Cohen.
