Federal charge against Worthington man dropped

Glenn D. Cundiff was indicted by a federal grand jury in Georgia last April with one count of conspiracy in an alleged scheme to re-label and sell faulty diversionary or "flash bang" or "stun" grenades to several government military and police department agencies across the country.

Cundiff confirmed that the federal charge was dropped against him during a pre-trial hearing Friday in Macon, Ga.

Last week, Cundiff told the Greene County Daily World that he may accept a plea agreement if one was offered to him by federal prosecutors.

He said Monday afternoon the plea deal was never offered, but the charges were dropped against him and the other co-defendants, who worked for Pyrotechnics Specialties, Inc.

Cundiff, who worked as an engineering technician at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Crane, was alleged to have been part of an elaborate scheme by a Georgia-based munitions company -- Pyrotechnics Specialties, Inc. -- that defrauded the federal government out of millions of dollars for the faulty materials.

The Worthington man served as a liaison for the sales between Pyrotechnic Specialties Inc., of Byron, Ga., and the U.S. Marine Corps. He provided technical oversight for contracts with Pyrotechnics Specialties, Inc., for production of the MK 141 grenades.

The case was slated to be heard before a jury on Jan. 20.

Cundiff told the Greene County Daily World on Monday that he was happy the case was over.

"It's a relief," he said.

Cundiff's lawyer, John Martin, of Columbus, Ga., called the case an unfortunate circumstance that took too long to get to the facts.

"I think the government's case suffered a severe setback when prosecutors found out it wasn't what people had represented it to be," Martin said. "It's a sad case that it took all of this time to get to the truth. I 'm glad it is resolved."

Cundiff, who worked for NSWC Crane for 43 years before retiring, said he has been told the Pyrotechnics Specialties plans to pursue legal action against the government to recover their legal expenses that have been paid out defending the case.

Cundiff, who is in his 21st year as a member of the White River Valley Board of School Trustees, says he has spent about $30,000 on his own legal defense and may become part of the Pyrotechnic suit.

The 22-page, 15-count grand jury indictment handed down in April also named David J. Karlson, CEO of Pyrotechnic Specialties Inc., and two other employees, and the company itself.

Among the charges were conspiracy, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the government, false claims against the government and mail fraud.

The indictment also alleged that the co-defendants defrauded the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concerning its government functions and rights in the procurement of munitions and in the regulation of the manufacture, sale, storage, distribution and disposal of munitions in violation of federal law.