MONROE, N.C. -- A Monroe-based contractor is going to prison for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.
Carl Andrew Boggs was sentenced Monday in federal court along with several of his former employees.
This all comes down to a federal program to boost up minority and women-owned contractors. It's called the disadvantaged business enterprises program or DBE, and the government claims Boggs Paving repeatedly used a DBE's name without living up to the intent of the program to help him get ahead.
They even bid on projects in the DBE's name just to get the contracts.
The day started with the judge haggling over what the damage was in this case. But he found roads Boggs bid on were made and made well, so there's little actual damage.
Instead, he settled on sending a message. He revised all of the sentences.
Carl Andrew Boggs was sentenced 30 months in prison with two years post-release supervision. He'll pay a fine of $15,000.
One of his former managers, Greg Miller, will get 10 months in prison.
The DBE whose company they used will get two years probation and a $2,000 fine.
Boggs' accountant will get the same probation and a $1,000 fine.
The judge in the case says he was basically hamstrung by the damages and wanted to give the defendants stiffer penalties.
Boggs' attorney says he's lost millions of dollars being barred from future contracts, and that's enough.
Boggs was able to transfer a lot of the assets of his company over to a new company that will benefit his employees and his kids, which is legal.
The prosecution made a pretty big deal out of that but they're hoping the penalties that did stick will be enough to deter people from doing this kind of thing in the future.