Government contractor faces two years in prison

A former government contractor will serve two years in prison for giving preferential treatment to defense contractors in exchange for money.
U.S. District Judge David Proctor also ordered Douglas Harry Ennis, 50, of Athens to serve two years of supervised release when he completes his term. He’s also required to pay $75,000 in restitution. Ennis’ prison sentence will begin Sept. 8.
Ennis was employed as deputy director of the Joint Center for Technology Integration located at the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville from 1987-2008. Ennis was deputy director at JCTI while Michael Cantrell was the center’s director.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn sentenced Cantrell in December 2009 to five years in prison for his role in the procurement fraud scheme that netted Cantrell $1.6 million in bribes.
She ordered Cantrell and other defendants in the case to pay $2.5 million in restitution to the government and entered a $685,060 forfeiture judgment against Cantrell. She also ordered Cantrell to pay $352,145 in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
Ennis pleaded guilty in 2008 to a conspiracy during which he conspired with Cantrell and others to give preference to sub-contractors and vendors on contracts funded by the space and missile command. The sub-contractors and vendors gave money and gifts to Ennis and Cantrell. During the course of the conspiracy Ennis received approximately $70,000 from 2003 through 2004.
Ennis also pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements on a financial disclosure form required by the Army. Ennis failed to report that he received $4,900 between Oct. 1, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2002.