CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Employees and executives of Boggs Paving were sentenced Monday in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.
Chris Boggs, who started Boggs Paving with his brother Drew, pushed against a Channel 9 photographer Friday morning outside the federal courthouse.
- RAW VIDEO Boggs Paving exec tries to block Channel 9 camera outside courthouse:
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Chris Boggs was not indicted, but Drew Boggs pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $87 million in government contracts.
Drew Boggs was being sentenced for leading a scheme to get $87 million in road contracts by falsely claiming to hire a small minority-owned trucking company that didn't perform the work.
A key part of the arguments in court centered on how much the Boggs' fraudulent activity cost. The judge said that since road projects in the contracts were eventually built, there was no loss to taxpayers. That dropped the potential sentences for the five defendants.
Read our past coverage:
- Emails show SCDOT questioned company's possible connections to Boggs Group
- 9 Investigates: Allegations that new company is tied to indicted paving business
- Head of Boggs Paving pleads guilty in fraud investigation
- Boggs Paving defendant runs from camera after plea deal
- Boggs Paving vice president pleads guilty to fraud
- 9 Investigates: Paving company costing taxpayers $2M, according to NCDOT
Drew Boggs faced up to 25 years in prison, but Eyewitness News Reporter Jim Bradley, who is inside the courtroom, reports the government is recommended only five years.
Boggs was sentenced to 2 1/2 years. The judge fined him $15,000 and the company $500,000.
Former Boggs Paving employees Greg Tucker and Kevin Hicks got probation as did John "Styx" Cuthbertson, whose trucking company was used in the scheme.
Former Vice President Greg Miller got 15 months in federal prison.
The judge said over and over again that the biggest victim was the affirmative action program that Boggs Paving abused.
Drew Boggs spoke briefly in court and told the judge he was sorry and accepts responsibility.
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