Adrian Urena, (40) of Lawrence Pleads Guilty to Defense Contracting Fraud

 A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today to a scheme to defraud the U.S. Navy relating to glove liners purchased for use on nuclear submarines.

Adrian Urena, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing false papers to defraud the United States and one count of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2021.

Urena was an employee of a Lawrence company that contracts with the U.S. Navy through the Defense Contract Management Agency. The contractor entered into a contract to provide the Navy with white glove liners for use on nuclear submarines meeting certain specifications, including that the contractor would test the glove liners for heat sensitivity and obtain an associated certificate of testing. To avoid the testing requirement, Urena manufactured counterfeit certificates of testing and compliance, and presented these counterfeit certificates to a Department of Defense contracting officer. When investigators questioned Urena about the counterfeit certificates, Urena falsely claimed that the certificates were not intended to be genuine.

The charges of possession of false documents to defraud the United States and false statements each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Michael T. Wiest, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Mendell’s office is prosecuting the case.