A Virgin Islands Police Auxiliary supervisor and former Public Works Department official has been named in an 18-count federal grand jury indictment. George T. Patrick, 57, of St. Thomas surrendered to federal authorities on Tuesday. He was formally charged with nine counts each of filing false claims against the federal government and mail fraud.
The indictment alleged that from September 1995 to April 1996 Patrick defrauded and obtained more than $171,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by making false claims and concealing facts which resulted in his receiving purchase order contracts for armed security guard services and receiving payments on those contracts. The contracts were entered into while the Corps was providing post-hurricane relief in the territory in the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn.
The indictment also alleged that Patrick lied about having a properly licensed security guard service license in order to provide armed security guard services as required by Corps contracts. According to U.S. Attorney James Hurd, the indictment alleged that Patrick concealed several facts, among them that he:
– was not licensed or bonded to provide security guard service;
– was not operating in compliance with Virgin Islands law regarding the operation of a security guard company;
– was not providing the number of guards as required in the ACE contract;
– employed guards who were not licensed or authorized to carry firearms;
– used persons as guards who were not armed.
The mail fraud charges stem from the reported use of the postal system for delivery of Patrick's payment checks from the Army Corps of Engineers in connection with work performed under the contract. The investigation was carried out by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and special agents of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Office of Inspector General.
Patrick faces up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine for each count of the 18-count indictment. He was released on bail after an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Geoffrey Barnard.
Patrick is a former director of Solid Waste Enforcement at the Public Works Department and was a ranking member of the Virgin Islands Police Department Auxiliary Force.
