Elgin Couple Sentenced for Conspiracy to Steal Military Jet Fuel

OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, Doyle Latimer, 56, and his wife, Cynthia Latimer, 57, both from Elgin, Oklahoma, were sentenced by United States District Judge David L. Russell for conspiracy defraud the United States by the theft of military jet fuel, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Doyle Latimer was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Cynthia Latimer was ordered to serve two years of probation. Judge Russell ordered the defendants to jointly pay $109,818.91 in restitution to the United States.

The United States government purchases jet fuel (Jet Propellant 8 or JP-8) from fuel depots in Oklahoma City and Wynnewood to supply the jet fuel needs at various military bases, including Altus Air Force Base, Tinker Air Force Base, and Sheppard Air Force Base. Latimer Trucking LLC (“Latimer Trucking”), owned and operated by Doyle Latimer, transported the JP-8 for the military and picked up JP-8 jet fuel from the fuel depots for delivery to the air force bases. Cynthia Latimer was employed by Latimer Trucking in the office and kept the business records.

The Latimers were indicted on December 13, 2011, and charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Both defendants pled guilty to the conspiracy on May 4, 2012. As part of his plea, Doyle Latimer admitted that from 2001 through 2007 he stole JP-8 jet fuel belonging to the United States and intended for delivery to military bases by draining it from the tankers and using it to operate his trucks. He further admitted that he knew his wife was creating false fuel receipts to cover up the use of the JP-8 jet fuel in operating his trucks. Cynthia Latimer admitted to conspiring with her husband to cover up the theft of JP-8 by preparing false fuel receipts which appeared to document legitimate diesel fuel purchases for Latimer trucks when, in fact, there had been no purchase of diesel fuel. In carrying out this conspiracy, the Latimers were able to reduce the costs of their daily trucking operation.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross N. Lillard, III and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Troester.