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Department of Justice Logo 

U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
Northern District of California

 

11th Floor, Federal Building
450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055
San Francisco, California  94102

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

 

Tel: (415) 436-7200
Fax: (415) 436-7234

 

June 9, 2004

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced today that a nuclear scientist formerly employed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  was arraigned today in Oakland federal court.  Mehdi Balooch, 59, of Berkeley was charged with two counts of theft of government property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.

According to the information, Mr. Balooch is alleged to have stolen approximately $26,600 in unauthorized compensation from January 2001 through March 2002.  In addition, Balooch is alleged to have stolen approximately $23,000 in fraudulently obtained travel expense payments. 

The maximum statutory penalty for each count in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641 is 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.  However, any sentence following conviction would be dictated by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of factors, and would be imposed in the discretion of the Court.  An information simply contains allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, Mr. Balooch must be presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

Mr. Balooch was arraigned in federal court in Oakland today before Magistrate Judge Wayne D. Brazil.  The defendant's next scheduled appearance is at 2:00 on June 14, 2004, before United States District Judge Claudia Wilken.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General; and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Douglas Sprague is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.  Related court documents and information may be found on the District Court website at www.cand.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.cand.uscourts/gov.

ll press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Jacobs at (415) 436-7181.

mattmed