KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Honeywell employee was sentenced in federal court today for engaging in a fraud scheme that caused a loss of more than $50,000.

Trent L. Christie, 37, of Olathe, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. Christie has also fully paid $50,480 in restitution to Honeywell.

Christie was employed at the Kansas City branch of Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, a management and operating contractor for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which is the agency under the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science.

On Dec. 15, 2016, Christie pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. Christie admitted that, in his capacity as a Honeywell employee with purchasing authority, he submitted purchase orders for approximately 129 pieces of equipment, all without the permission or knowledge of either Honeywell or the NNSA. None of the equipment was classified.

Christie engaged in his fraud scheme from June 15, 2010, to Aug. 27, 2014. The costs to Honeywell and subsequently to the NNSA of the unnecessary equipment was approximately $50,480.

After receiving the equipment, Christie advertised the items for sale on eBay. If sold, he removed the items from the Honeywell facility and shipped them, often from his personal residence, to the purchaser. Total sales by Christie netted him approximately $20,847.

This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Department of Energy, Office of the Inspector General.