S.D. Firm, Salesman Indicted for Allegedly Bribing Navy Workers

A San Diego salesman and the local firm he represented were indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges that they bribed employees of the Navy Public Works Center.

John D. Johnson, 43, of San Diego, and Jeyco Products Inc. were named in the four-count indictment, charged with offering tools and equipment to mechanics at the Public Works Center so the workers would recommend that the Navy buy the company’s products.

The charges were similar to those brought Aug. 29 against another San Diego salesman, Harold I. Levine, 31, and the Los Angeles firm he represented, Polytech Industries. Both were accused in a nine-count indictment of bribing the Public Works Center mechanics with electronics.

Four Navy employees already have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of receiving unlawful salaries, Asst. U.S. Atty. George D. Hardy said.

The indictment returned Tuesday said Johnson offered tools and equipment to mechanics who maintain the Navy’s refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in San Diego County. The Navy was to be billed for these items through inflated invoices, the indictment said.

Johnson and Jeyco Products were charged with one count of conspiracy to bribe and three of bribery, Hardy said.

If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and 15 years apiece on each of the bribery charges, or a total of 50 years, Hardy said.

He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge and fines of up to three times the value of the bribes alleged in the three other charges, Hardy said. That value was not detailed.

Jeyco faces a fine of up to $500,000 on each count, Hardy said.