MACON, Ga. — Mayoral candidate Lester Miller says he doesn't plan to return a campaign donation from a company accused of defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense.
But, he says he'll donate the $200 to Macon's Mentors Project charity.
Last year, a federal grand jury indicted the Millennium Manufacturing Corp. of Warner Robins and its president and CEO, Jody Cannon, on 13 counts of wire fraud.
The Warner Robins company manufactures aircraft and vehicle parts for Defense Logistics Agency contractors.
According to the federal indictment, Cannon and his company sold the Department of Defense parts that hadn't been manufactured properly to specifications.
Cannon also submitted false documents and invoices, the indictment says.
In October, Cannon pleaded guilty to one count of submitting false documents to the federal government. He's scheduled to be sentenced in March.
According to his plea agreement, Cannon faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
About eight weeks later, on Dec. 20, Millennium Manufacturing Corp. donated $200 to the Miller campaign. They're among more than two dozen businesses who have written checks for Miller.
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Miller declined to speak on camera Thursday morning.
But by email, he told 13WMAZ reporter Ashlyn Webb, "Our campaign has recently become aware of a pending legal issue with the owner of the corporation and has decided to donate the $200.00 to the Mentors Project of Bibb County."
Miller wrote that the company bought $200 in hams through a Miller campaign fundraiser. Instead of taking the hams, Millennium donated them to five needy families, according to Miller.
By text, Miller wrote that the donation "doesn't seem newsworthy."
Jody Cannon's lawyer, Michael Chidester, declined comment.
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