This timeline tracks the complicated relationships and histories of a handful of companies close to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) that are connected to criminal investigations in Pennsylvania and Florida.
Created by RollCall on Jul 7, 2009
Last updated: 03/12/10 at 05:44 AM
Sumrall “change of plea” hearing is scheduled for Florida federal court.
The government files documents in Pennsylvania federal court charging Coherent President Richard Ianieri with accepting $200,000 kickbacks from subcontractor “K” in exchange for favorable treatment under a government contract.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/36513-1.html
The PMA Group dissolves after an FBI raid of its offices.
Carruth terminates registration as Argon’s lobbyist. Argon tells Roll Call that it is cooperating with the federal government in the Schaller investigation.
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_131/news/34917-1.html
A Florida court unseals an indictment alleging collusion between O’Hair and Richard Schaller. The indictment indicates that Coherent paid Schaller Engineering $200,000 for nonexistent parts, and Schaller split the proceeds with O’Hair and another business partner, Ted Sumrall.
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_123/news/34446-1.html
Kuchera Defense Systems and Kuchera Industries, headed by Bill Kuchera, are raided by federal agents.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/31673-1.html
The PMA Group offices are raided by the FBI.
Former Murtha staffer Gabrielle Carruth registers as in-house lobbyist for Argon.
Argon ST buy Coherent.
The PMA Group registers to lobby for Argon ST.
Congress passes the Defense spending bill with a $1.4 million earmark from Murtha for Ground Mobile Gateway.
Murtha visits Coherent’s new facility in Windber, Pa. A press release from his office describes Coherent and Kuchera Defense Systems “working virtually as one company” and notes an Air Force contract that “Coherent developed and Kuchera builds” for a “precision targeting and communications system.”
Coherent pays Schaller Engineering $200,000 for a targeting component of the Ground Mobile Gateway, which the government later alleges Schaller never produced.
Coherent receives an $8.15 million Air Force contract for Ground Mobile Gateway, a communications and targeting system. The contract’s program manager is Mark O’Hair.
A tsunami relief act is approved, including an $8.1 million for earmark for Coherent’s Ground Mobile Gateway System. Roll Call has reported that this funding was shifted from Aeptec Microsystems, a former KSA client that fell out of favor with Murtha.
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_139/news/35448-1.html
The PMA Group registers to lobby for Schaller Engineering.
Richard Schaller incorporates Schaller Engineering in Florida.
Johnstown, Pa., garment company KDH Defense Systems — also a KSA client — makes a presentation to the Defense Department on a swimmer-detection sonar system to be built in cooperation with Coherent. Coherent ultimately drops out, but Murtha provides several million dollars worth of earmarks for the project.
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_2/news/36510-1.html
KSA Consulting — including Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) brother and an ex- Appropriations staffer — registers to lobby for Coherent Systems International.
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