FAIRCHILD AFB — Fairchild Air Force Base is listed among the victims of a $3.5 million family housing scheme, the Justice Department announced on June 9. Two former managers from the Balfour Beatty Communities pleaded guilty to falsifying documents while providing maintenance services for on-base family housing between 2013 and 2016. Bonuses for exceeding service deadlines were claimed in writing, despite the work not being completed.
Rick Cunefare of Glendale, Arizona, and Stacy M. Cabrera of Converse, Texas, pleaded guilty and face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both are currently awaiting sentencing in federal district court. Cabrera’s fraudulent conduct produced about $1 million in performance bonuses.
The incentive-based fee contract stipulates that 95% of maintenance duties must be completed within three business days in the quarter to be eligible for the additional funds. It is currently unclear whether other conspirators were involved as no further names have been provided at this time.
The negligent actions produced a reduction in preventative maintenance on family facilities within Fairchild Air Force Base, allowing the structures to fall into a state described as “substandard.” Other bases involved in the case are Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.; Travis and Vandenberg Air Force, California.
Initial reports regarding the two charged property managers began to surface in 2019 and come in the wake of a series of complaints regarding military housing. Various other companies are alleged to maintain similar practices, contributing to asbestos, animal infestations, and varying degrees of pipe leakage and sewage issues.
Fairchild has no comment regarding the incident. The Balfour Beatty company is a third-party contactor hired by the Air Force and it is unclear what services were provided or neglected.
In the United States, 21 Air Force bases and 34 Army and Navy bases utilize Balfour Beatty as family housing managers.
Scott Davis can be reached at [email protected].
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