Cherry Engineering

This week a facility owned by Cherry Engineering was broken into and 400 pounds of C4 explosives and 2500 detonators was stolen. It has caused a lot of questions about how high explosives are stored.

I am interested in what a government scientist is doing running a business on the side? I have always wondered how University professors can consult on the side while holding down cushy tenured government positions. In the corporate world, running a related side business is grounds for dismissal.

Digging deeper turns up a little information about Cherry Engineering.

First here is a satellite image of a facility that matches the address in Albuquerque that belongs to Cherry Engineering. It looks to be about 100 yards north of Kirkland Air force base.

Chris Cherry, the reported owner of Cherry Engineering a provider of "bomb disablement tools" appears to be a knowledgeable explosives expert. He even received accolades from President Clinton in his heroic assistance in diffusing a bomb during the capture of the UnaBomber.

But apparently Cherry Engineering has obtained orders from various defense department facilities to the tune of $321,241.00 over the last four years.

While I really admire Mr. Cherry for his work I still question how government employees seem to avoid conflict of interest laws?