SECURITY OFFICERSFormer SPFPA’s Official Pleads Guilty to Illegal Labor Payments

A Florida couple pled guilty earlier this week to conspiracy to provide and receive prohibited labor payments, in violation of the Labor Management Relations Act, also known as the Taft-Hartley Act.

According to court documents, since at least 2010 until November 2023, Ricky Dallas O’Quinn, 63, of Melbourne, Florida, served as both an officer and employee of International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), a labor organization which represents protective security officers at federal workplaces. SPFPA executed collective bargaining agreements with several employers covering the security industry in several states.

Ricky’s wife, Mabel O’Quinn, was the founder, incorporator, and an initial director of Patronus Systems Inc. (referred to in DO’s public documents s “Company-2”), which provided protective security officers at federal workplaces in numerous states. While Mabel served as Patronus Systems’ chief executive officer and president, Ricky, in a clandestine role, was involved in the finance, budget, and operations of the company since its inception. Both Ricky and Mabel O’Quinn hid Ricky’s involvement in operating Patronus Systems2.

From at least 2010 to 2023, Individual-1, who is unnamed in DOJ’s public documents, was the president of Company-1, which provides protective security officers at federal workplaces in numerous states. The O’Quinns conspired with Individual-1 to obtain government contracts by exploiting Patronus Systems’ status as a small, woman service-disabled owned business.

Company-1 used Patronus Systems as a subcontractor and advised Patronus Systems on what contracts to bid on and in which geographic locations, which produced financial benefits for both companies. In exchange, Individual-1 and his family would receive 40 percent of the ownership and/or profits of Patronus Systems.

From at least April 2013 through June 2024, Individual-1 agreed to award subcontracts from Company-1 to supply private security guards at various federal installations to Patronus Systems.  The proceeds from those awards totaled tens of millions of dollars.

Individual-1 specified which vendors and consultants Patronus Systems would hire and monitored and directed Patronus Systems’ finances. At Individual-1’s direction, Patronus Systems paid three of Individual-1’s relatives as consultants at rates of $195 and $225 per hour, totaling millions of dollars in payments.

Ricky and Mabel O’Quinn are scheduled to be sentenced on 17 September 2025, and face up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.