Defense contractor president faces up to 20 years for fraud

ST. LOUIS -- The suburban St. Louis president of a defense contractor faces up to 20 years in federal prison after he admitted defrauding the U.S. government.

James Matthew Alexander, 45, pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony count of mail fraud, which carries a possible $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10.

Authorities say in 2010, St. Louis-based Matthews Manufacturing Inc. was awarded a contract to supply 56 containers used to ship parts for the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Alexander was president of Matthews Manufacturing.

The containers included shock mounts that were supposed to be no more than a year old.

But prosecutors said Alexander had the dates on the mounts buffed off and re-stamped with a more recent date.