Former HERC Solutions President Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding State Department

Gary A. Duff, 53, of Kansas City, KS, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to a one-count criminal information charge for conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit wire fraud. Duff is the former owner, chief executive officer and president of Texas-based HERC Solutions, which specialized in international construction projects for the State Department and other agencies in military zones and developing countries.

Duff plead guilty to defrauding the U.S. Department of State out of $1.37 million. Duff's co-conspirator Steven Graves was a contract specialist and senior contracts administrator for the State Department's Office of Acquisitions Management from November 2011 to February 2013. Duff and Graves used Grave's official positions to steer contracts to HERC during a time period where Graves was an actual or de facto partner in HERC.

Grave plead guilty in September 2017 to a two-count criminal information charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit wire fraude and a willful violation of the conflict of interest statute. Graves was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

(more on the sentencing of the two HERC Solutions owners...)