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A tawdry chapter in photonics
neared a close recently as the legal entity
formerly known as Plummer Precision Optics,
accused of knowingly delivering substandard parts
on defense contracts, agreed to pay a total of
$3.25 million in restitution to the U.S.
government. Renamed Blue Jaunte, the legal entity
of the company has paid a criminal fine of
$875,000 and has agreed to pay a civil restitution
of $2.375 million. According to Defense Criminal
Investigative Service supervisory special agent
Bob Koons, the criminal cases against former vice
presidents of manufacturing and operations Max
Haskins and Walter Lagger are still in process;
each could face penalties of up to five years in
prison and $250,000 in fines. If Blue Jaunte is
convicted of the criminal charges, the company
could face an additional $2.5 million in fines.
The suits allege that while supplying optical
components for military weapons systems such as
the gunner's sighting systems in the Bradley
Fighting Vehicle, Plummer knowingly shipped
defective components. In one case, a set of 100
coated optics were tested, and only 25% met
specification. "Essentially we didn't get what we
paid for," says Koons. "If you don't have a good
sighting mechanism in the fighting vehicle, you're
in a world of hurt if you're on the battlefield.
"Edmund Industrial Optics (Barrington, NJ)
recently bought the assets of Plummer (see
oemagazine, January 2001, page 18). Edmund did not
assume any of Plummer's liabilities in that
transaction, and will continue to be eligible for
government contracts.
by Kristin Lewotsky
©2000–2002 SPIE—The International Society for
Optical Engineering
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