Florida Man Sentenced For Attempting To Defraud NASA Space Launch System

A Florida man has been arrested and sentenced after attempting to defraud NASA and its space launch system. Pro-Tip: don't try to outsmart NASA.

Choosing to try to defraud NASA doesn't seem like a wise decision. Those are some of the smartest and brightest minds in the world! It's literally rocket science what they're doing on a daily basis. You're very unlikely to get away with anything, and this guy did not.

There are plenty of people out there that you can likely pull a fast one on. One of the last places I would want to try is NASA. However, I'm not a criminal so what do I know? A Florida man reportedly made the choice to try to defraud NASA and now he's been sentenced to 21 months behind bars in a federal prison for it.

According to WFLA, 54-year-old Steven Lukens, of Port Charlotte, Florida, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud after trying to defraud NASA and its space launch system at the Kennedy Space Center. NBC 2 reports Lukens was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gulf Atlantic International Supply, LLC, and entered a sub-contract to get materials for NASA's space launch system. However, it was determined he submitted products that didn't meet the quality standard and specifications that were set under the contract. WFLA says he submitted forged quality control documents and provided products that didn't meet the agreed upon standard.

Robert Steinau, the Assistant Inspector General For Investigations with NASA-OIG says, "Ensuring the integrity of NASA's component procurements and quality control is a top priority for the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG). This case highlights the OIG's dedication to collaborating with the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate and prosecute companies that defraud NASA," via WFLA. People could be seriously hurt or even die if products and parts aren't up to code for launches. It would be incredibly dangerous!

Lukens was sentenced to 21 months behind bars after pleading guilty to the crimes back in February. He had to forfeit roughly $271K for the fraudulent parts submitted and pay more than $689K in restitution, per WFLA. See more about NASA's Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida below. This is not the place you want to try to outsmart somebody--you're unlikely to get away with it and you might end up like Lukens--arrested, charged, and sentenced.

Honestly, there's nothing like a good Florida Man story. They're exciting, they're wild, they're far from ordinary. You never know what to expect when you hear a story about a Florida Man. These types of stories have taken over the internet, and rightfully so. Here are 5 hilarious Florida Man stories you've heard on Dave & Chuck The Freak!

Some of these individuals committed crazy crimes, while others just accomplished something impressive! They're not all criminals. However, the best stories typically are.

Dave & Chuck The Freak love talking about all sorts of crazy individuals who have done equally crazy things. That's why you'll hear segments like "The Times Of India," "What's With The Asians?," and stories about "Those Crazy Canadians." Truly, you never know what you might hear. People are strange, man.

When it comes to strange people, there seems to be no place like Florida. Maybe it's the warm weather? Perhaps there's something in the water. Whatever it is, Florida seems to get a lot of attention for some of its citizens behavior. You just don't get these kind of stories out of Vermont or Minnesota.

On the show, Dave & Chuck The Freak have shared some absolutely wild stories and crimes that have been committed by a Florida Man. Whenever you hear  a story start with "a Florida man..." you know you're in for a good story. Now, we're celebrating the Florida Man with a collection of the best stories that you've heard on Dave & Chuck The Freak.

Of course, on the show we've talked about many more than just five Florida Men. So, narrowing it down was difficult. It wasn't an easy feat. However, it's been done. We did it! Here are 5 of the craziest most hilarious Florida Man stories you've heard on Dave & Chuck The Freak!

Hey, not every Florida Man story is about a criminal! This is actually a touching story. It also features some rocking metal, so double the points. Watch as this guy plays his guitar during brain surgery! I didn't know that was possible.

Read more about this story here!

Ah, here we go. This is the content you came for. When things don't go your way, this is not how you should act. When things didn't go his way, this Florida Man chose violence. He threw beer cans at speeding cars and even brought out a gun?

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If someone invites you inside for a beer, you should probably be nice to them! Well, that's not what happened this time. I'm sure this homeowner has learned his lesson and won't be inviting any strangers inside for any beverages any time soon. Seriously, why would you do this? It makes no sense to me.

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Alliteration aside, that's an awful headline. Yikes. How does...why would...so many questions on this story. But, do I want the answers? Yes. Yes, I do.

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Waffle Houses are famous for their delicious food at any hour of the day. However, they're actually probably more famous for all the fights and drama that seem to happen at a Waffle House location every day. Seriously, it seems like every day there's a new viral video of a wild fight at a Waffle House. Well, that's actually not how this story goes. This Florida Man just loves him some Waffle House.

Read more about the story here!