Former Acting Inspector General for Homeland Security pleads guilty to federal theft charges

A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges of theft of government property in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government.

Charles K. Edwards, 61, of Sandy Spring, Md., pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit theft of government property and theft of government property stemming from allegations that he stole proprietary software and databases from the federal government to further his own business.

According to court documents, from February 2008 to December 2013, Edwards worked for the DHS Office of Inspector General. Before that, Edwards worked at the U.S. Postal Service in the Office of Inspector General. At both agencies, officials said, Edwards had access to software systems containing personal identifying information of employees, as well as one software system used for case management.

Officials said after leaving the DHS, Edwards started his own business, Delta Business Solutions, Inc., in Maryland. From at least 2015 to 2017, according to court documents, Edwards stole software and databases from DHS and the USPS for his company to develop a commercially-owned version of a case management system that could be offered for sale to government agencies.

Edwards will be sentenced at a later date, according to U.S. sentencing guidelines and other factors.

A second defendant, Murali Y. Venkata, 56, of Aldie, Va., pleaded not guilty to similar charges. His case is pending.