After a little more than a day of deliberation, an Elkins federal jury has found a former Parsons soldier and his co-conspirator guilty in connection with a bribery and money-laundering scheme in Kuwait.
The five day trial of former Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard Allen Evick, 41, of Parsons, and his alleged associate, Crystal Yvette Martin, 48, of Pontiac, Mich., started June 18 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia in Elkins.
The jury found Evick guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery, demanding, seeking or receiving bribes by a public official, aiding and abetting former major James Momon to violate a bribery statute, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and obstruction of justice.
The jury also found Martin guilty of conspiracy to commit a bribery crime, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
Federal prosecutors allege Evick received more than $170,000 in bribes from two firms that had contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense in Kuwait.
Martin is accused of laundering the bribe money and arranging transfers to the United States. Martin is a former Army master sergeant who operated a concession to sell clothing at American military bases in Kuwait, a news release from the Department of Justice stated.
The indictment also alleges Evick and former majors James Momon and Christopher Murray "improperly disclosed contracting information to two firms that were seeking contracts from the U.S. military," the news release stated.
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