Businessmen, companies indicted in conspiracy to bribe Robins Air Force Base official

Federal grand jurors have indicted the president of an Ohio company on allegations he conspired to bribe a Robins Air Force Base civilian employee so his company could win bids for multimillion-dollar military contracts.

Raymond F. Williams, president and owner of U.S. Technology Corporation, and Larry A. Toth, owner of LT Associates Inc., are each charged with conspiracy to bribe a public official and one count of conspiracy to launder proceeds of unlawful activity, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

The indictment additionally charges Williams with 83 counts of bribery of a public official.

Williams’ company, and its subsidiary, U.S. Technology Aerospace Engineering Corp. — which has an office in Byron — also are defendants in the case.

Williams is accused of paying now-retired U.S. Department of Defense worker Mark E. Cundiff $274,000 for assistance in winning contracts at the Warner Robins-based air base between 2004 and 2014.

Attempts to reach Williams for comment were unsuccessful Thursday. Toth declined comment.

Cundiff, who was responsible for preparing documents describing the Air Force’s requirements when soliciting bids for contracts, prepared work orders so Williams’ company would have a “substantial advantage,”according to the indictment.

Authorities allege Williams counseled Cundiff not to change his lifestyle to ensure people wouldn’t become suspicious of their relationship, although the two took family vacations together in Austria, Switzerland, Utah, Colorado, California, New York and Nevada.

Between September 2009 and 2011, Williams used Toth as an intermediary, paying Toth who then paid Cundiff, according to the indictment.

Williams later used John Christopher Reynolds as intermediary in a similar manner as he did with Toth, authorities allege.

Cundiff pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to bribe a public official and filing a false tax return. Reynolds, owner of Macon-based Reynolds Engineering Inc., has also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in the giving of a gratuity to a public official.

Sentencing hearings for Cundiff and Reynolds have not been scheduled.

This story was originally published June 15, 2017 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Businessmen, companies indicted in conspiracy to bribe Robins Air Force Base official."