Three face charges in computer scheme

BANGOR – Three former employees of Microdyne Outsourcing Inc. in Orono have been charged in federal court with lowering the prices of products sold by Dell Computers Inc. and having them shipped to family and friends in Maine.

Dell uses Microdyne to assist in handling orders and shipments of Dell merchandise, according to court documents.

Erik Flye, 23, and Andrew Feldman, 23, both of Bangor are scheduled today to waive indictment and plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Don Ayers, 23, of Bangor was released Tuesday on his own recognizance after he waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Sentencing dates have not been set.

The men are accused of keeping the computers for their personal use or selling them at discounted prices.

Each man faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The trio also could be ordered to pay more than $50,000 in restitution to Dell.

The conspiracy began in July 2003, according to the prosecution’s version of the crime, when Flye and Ayers allegedly devised a scheme to alter the price of an item to $200 or less so that a customer would not be billed for it.

Feldman allegedly joined the conspiracy after he began working for Microdyne in September 2003.

All three men had the authority to provide “concession” items, valued at $200 or less, free of charge to dissatisfied customers. Each allegedly would alter the price of merchandise, then have it shipped to family and friends in Maine.

Court documents state that Flye, Ayers and Feldman executed the scheme at least twice each between July 29 and Nov. 5, 2003.

Because the men allegedly altered prices via the Internet, they have been charged with wire fraud.