An Army colonel stationed at Fort Gordon near Augusta and two others were indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Savannah for their alleged roles in a bribery and kickback scheme. 

The defendants are: Anthony Tyrone Roper, 55, an active duty colonel with the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Gordon; Audra Roper, 49, the wife of Roper; and Dwayne Oswald Fulton, 58, a former employee of a defense contracting firm. Each of the defendants resides in Augusta. 

According to the indictment, beginning in 2008 and lasting almost a decade, Col. Roper conspired with his wife, Fulton and others to solicit and accept cash bribes in exchange for rigging the award of over $20 million in U.S. Army contracts to selected individuals and companies. The indictment further alleges that in an attempt to hide their bribery and fraud schemes, the defendants attempted to obstruct an official investigation into their criminal conduct.     

Col. Roper was charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of bribery, four counts of false statements and one count of obstruction, with a maximum sentence of 85 years in prison and a $1.75 million fine. 

Audra Roper was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of false statements and one count of obstruction, with a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. 

Fulton was charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of obstruction, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

An indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation of this case remains ongoing.  Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Troy Clark and Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Durham are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.