Huntington man faces up to 10 years

A Huntington Beach businessman who brokered parts for commercial and

military airplanes is facing up to 10 years in jail for selling

unapproved aircraft parts to the United States government.

Michael Joseph Murphy, 34, was convicted Feb. 22 of signing his

name as a government agent on several documents, Assistant U.S. Atty.

Richard Cutler said.

Murphy, owner of Primetech, made a false claim to the United

States and submitted a false statement to the Department of Defense

when he signed off as a government agent, stating the aircraft parts

were certified and inspected when in fact they were not, said the

U.S. Attorney’s office.

In a $100,000 deal between Primetech and the government, Murphy

was supposed to deliver parts for the Air Force’s C-5 transport plane

from a pre-approved source, Cutler said.

Between May and July 2003, Murphy obtained parts from an

unapproved source, delivered the parts to the Air Force and billed

the government for the agreed fee, Cutler said. The contract required

that the parts be inspected by a government representative, but

Murphy shipped the parts before they could be inspected.

When the Department of Defense contacted Murphy to advise him that

the parts must be inspected, Murphy signed the inspection form

himself and returned it to the government. The $100,000 fee was paid

to Primetech and the company has not yet returned the money, Cutler

said.

Murphy is free on $250,000 bail pending sentencing May 23, Cutler

said. Murphy could face up to 10 years in a federal prison and

$500,000 in fines, Cutler said.