A supervisor for a Fort Gordon subcontractor accused of soliciting a kickback was indicted by a federal grand jury Monday.

Michael Craig Waters is charged with one count of soliciting a kickback, a crime punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. An arraignment has not been set yet.

Mr. Waters is free on bond.

According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Brian Ozden, authorities first learned Sept. 29 some fraudulent activity might be going on at the base.

Alvin Johnson, the owner of Professional Boiler Services, told an investigator he was called Aug. 23 to provide an estimate to repair a boiler at the military base.

After examining the boiler, Mr. Waters approached him and pressed for a verbal estimate on repairs, according to the agent's affidavit.

Agent Ozden noted that Mr. Waters was a supervisor for IAP World Services, a subcontractor of Akima Facilities Management, a prime contractor for Fort Gordon.

Mr. Johnson told the investigator that he tried to put off Mr. Waters so he could prepare a written estimate after checking prices of necessary parts. But Mr. Waters pressed and Mr. Johnson said he threw out a figure -- $30,000, according to court documents.

Mr. Waters allegedly told Mr. Johnson to increase the estimate to $40,000 and they would split $10,000, the FBI agent's affidavit reads.

The actual written estimate Mr. Johnson prepared was just more than $4,000. But allegedly Mr. Waters prepared purchasing documents that indicated the price was more than $7,000, according to court documents.

Mr. Johnson told the investigator Mr. Waters offered to evenly split the extra $3,000 or so. According to the FBI agent's affidavit, investigators taped a telephone conversation between the two men.

According to the affidavit, Mr. Waters repeated the kickback plan, saying usually he got cash for such deals.

Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.