Tacoma Metallurgist Facing Charges

A former metallurgist at a Tacoma foundry that provides steel for U.S. Navy submarines has admitted to falsifying test results for decades. 67-year-old Elaine Thomas pleaded guilty to major fraud in Tacoma federal court. She falsified results for more than 240 steel productions during the 40-years she worked at the Tacoma steel foundry. It's owned by the Navy's leading supplier of steel used in submarines. Thomas could face up to 40 years in prison and a 1 million dollar fine when she's sentenced next February.