Former Johns Creek Employee Pleads Guilty In Navy Corruption Case

JOHNS CREEK, GA — The former communications director with the city of Johns Creek pleaded guilty last week to charges of criminal conflict of interest related to a sweeping corruption probe into U.S. Navy officials.

Jeff Breslau, 52, pleaded guilty on Nov. 13 to one count of criminal conflict of interest before U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino of the Southern District of California, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Breslau was charged in September. Another defendant, Retired Master Chief Ricarte Icmat David, was sentenced by Judge Sammartino to serve a year of supervised release and pay restitution of $30,000. David was charged in August and pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

Breslau and David are the latest defendants who have entered guilty pleas related to the federal investigation involving foreign defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis and Glenn Defense Marine Asia, Francis's Singapore-based ship husbanding company.

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According to the U.S. DOJ, Breslau was a captain in the Navy and worked as director of public affairs for the U.S. Pacific Fleet from October 2009 to July 2012. Breslau was tasked with managing the Navy's communications strategy and provided guidance to Pacific Fleet components and other U.S. Navy commands.

Breslau was assigned to the commanding officer for the Joint Public Affairs Support Element in Norfolk, Virginia, from August 2012 to July 2014. While serving in the two aforementioned posts, Breslau admitted to federal prosecutors that he gave Francis consulting services, "including providing advice on how to respond to issues and controversies related to Francis’s ship husbanding business with the U.S. Navy."

"These included issues related to port visit costs, allegations of malfeasance such as the unauthorized dumping of waste, disputes with competitors, and issues with Pacific Fleet and contracting personnel," the DOJ said.

While working with Francis, Breslau wrote, reviewed or edited nearly three dozen separate documents; penned at least 135 emails providing advice to Francis; provided at least 14 instances of talking points in advance of meetings between Francis and high ranking U.S. Navy personnel; and ghostwrote numerous emails on Francis’s behalf to be transmitted to U.S. Navy personnel. During the course of this consulting agreement, Francis paid Breslau roughly $65,000 without Breslau disclosing the agreement to the U.S. Navy.

Johns Creek spokesperson Bob Mullen said Breslau informed senior city staff members in September of his plans to negotiate a plea with the feds. The city and Breslau determined it was "appropriate" to tender his resignation, which was effective Sept. 28.

Breslau was employed by Johns Creek from May 2015 until his resignation. Before coming to the city, he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2014, Mullen told Patch.

"The activities conducted by Mr. Breslau related to his guilty plea deal took place prior to his employment with the city," the spokesperson added.

The Department of Justice said 33 have been charged and 22 defendants have pleaded guilty, many to accepting items from Francis in exchange for helping the company win and maintain contracts and "overbill" the U.S. Navy by millions.

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