Politics & Government
2 Waive Jury in Navy Kickback Case, Trial Set For Friday
Ralph Mariano and his father, Ralph Mariano, Jr., are scheduled to go before U.S. District Court on Friday
Ralph Mariano and his father, Ralph Mariano, Jr., both arraigned in the Navy kickback case, have requested to waive a jury trial. They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday to address the request, said Jim Martin, Public Information Officer at the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The younger Mariano allegedly accepted kickbacks of naval funds from Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow (ASFT), a Middletown company. ASFT had about $128 million in Navy contracts when it closed.
Ralph Mariano is a former civilian program manager and senior systems engineer with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Newport. Mariano’s girlfriend, Mary O'Rourke, who was also indicated in the case plans to ask for a bench trial as well, reports the Journal.
The younger Mariano and O'Rourke are charged with counts including conspiracy, theft of government property and wire fraud. His father faces tax charges.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The trial is currently scheduled for June, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
