Soldiers fire an M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun in April 2016 at the range at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. (Joshua Pepin/U.S. Army)
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii — A former range operations manager at Schofield Barracks admitted Thursday to conspiring to accept bribes — including an antique automobile — and to disclose sensitive Army procurement information, the Department of Justice said Thursday.
Franklin Raby, 67, of Greeneville, Tenn., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer of the Eastern District of Tennessee, the department said in a statement. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5. The offense carries a maximum term of five years in prison and a fine of at least $250,000.
Raby had retired as an Army sergeant major in 2004, according to court documents. He served as a range operations manager for the U.S. Army Hawaii Range Division at Schofield Barracks from May 2006 to May 2018, U.S. Army Hawaii said in a statement Thursday.
As part of his plea agreement, Raby admitted that from March 2015 through May 2018, while employed with the Army, he accepted tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes from an employee of a federal contractor that sought and received business from the Army, the statement said.
In August 2017, the contractor shipped a 1969 Ford Galaxie to the home of Raby’s son in Greeneville, court documents said. That same month, the contractor shipped a custom H&H 375 rifle to Raby’s home in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the documents said. He also received diamond earrings valued at $2,300.
In return, Raby gave the contractor sensitive, internal Defense Department procurement information and also used his position to benefit the contractor in securing Army contracts, the statement said.
The case had been investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Command, U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI.
“U.S. Army Hawaii is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards and fully supports the thorough investigation and prosecution of suspected cases of fraud, waste or abuse,” the Army statement said.
“U.S. Army Hawaii will continue to support the efforts of the Army Criminal Investigation Command, the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI in their investigation of this case,” the statement said.
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