A U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander was sentenced to more than two years years in prison in federal court on Thursday.
Gentry Debord, 41, plead guilty in October 2016 to accepting bribes in the form of cash, luxury hotels and prostitutes from Leonard Glenn Francis, also known as “Fat” Leonard.
Debord was sentenced to 30 months in prison, ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and $37,000 in restitution to the U.S. Navy.
Francis, a foreign defense contractor for Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), plead guilty in January 2015 to bribing senior naval officials in exchange for specific Navy warship movements so his company could overbill the Pentagon.
According to Debord’s plea agreement, he gave Francis proprietary Navy information that benefited GDMA in return for the bribes. He also asked Francis and his company to inflate invoices sent to the Navy for services that were not given.
The fraud occurred from November 2007 to January 2013, while Debord was a supply officer aboard the U.S.S. Essex.
Debord also used code language and fake email accounts to cover up the fraud.
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Sixteen individuals have been charged in the case so far, 11 of whom are current or former U.S. Navy officials, including Debord.
[GALLERY] Criminal Probe Alleges Secrets Swapped for Prostitutes, Travel
Rear Admiral Robert J. Gilbeau is the highest-ranking U.S. Navy officer to have been charged in the case so far. He pleaded guilty to one felony charge in June 2016.
Gilbeau is also believed to be the first active-duty Naval flag officer to ever be charged in a federal criminal court, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's office in San Diego. He is still awaiting his sentence.
NBC 7 has been following this investigation since September 2013.
