Summary

On May 6, 2010, Kent R. Stewart, President of Great Lakes Concrete, was charged in U.S. District Court, Sioux City, Iowa, with violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.  It is alleged that Stewart, conspired with others from January 2008 until August 2009, to fix prices of ready-mix concrete sold to various companies in Iowa.

Also, as part of the same investigation, on May 4th, Steven K. VandeBrake, a former Sales Manager for GCC Alliance Concrete, Inc. and President of Alliance Concrete, Inc., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to Antitrust violations for his role in ready-mix price fixing conspiracies.  VandeBrake admitted that he participated in conspiracies and held conversations with co-conspirators from three different ready-mix companies to set pricing for ready-mix concrete sold to Iowa companies from January 2008 until August 2009.  Ready-mix is used in many different construction projects, including in roads and highways.

This investigation was worked jointly with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the DOJ Antitrust Division's Chicago Field Office.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the government, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.