Six months after a federal jury in Savannah found two concrete supply managers guilty of illegal bid-rigging and price-fixing, the battle over their actions is far from over. The focus has now shifted to a federal courtroom in Charleston, where contractors who claim they overpaid for ready-mix concrete are determined to recover millions in alleged damages.
The Criminal Convictions That Started It All
Last summer, brothers Gregory and David Melton stood trial on antitrust and market manipulation charges. The evidence against them? A trove of over 1,000 secret recordings spanning six years, captured by a sales manager who had once worked under Gregory Melton.
The jury didn’t take long to convict the pair, leading to prison sentences handed down in October. But the case didn’t end there. Now, the civil lawsuit—first filed in 2017 and put on hold until the criminal trial wrapped up—is back in motion. And those recordings? They could be the key to determining how much money changes hands in Charleston.
Hidden Devices, Secret Deals
It wasn’t just any evidence that sealed the Meltons’ fate. Prosecutors had access to audio recordings captured by a device cleverly disguised as a car key fob. The recordings, made by former sales manager Christopher Young, caught conversations that prosecutors argued proved illegal bid-rigging in multiple territories across Georgia and South Carolina.
- Savannah, Jonesboro, and Statesboro, GA, were among the affected markets.
- The Hilton Head, SC, area was also caught in the mix.
- The scheme allegedly lasted for years, keeping prices artificially high.
Young, who once worked for construction materials giant Lafarge before its division was sold to Argos, had a background in criminal justice. That background may have played a role in his decision to record the conversations that ultimately became the foundation of the case against the Meltons.
What’s at Stake in Charleston?
The lawsuit, now stretching into its eighth year, seeks compensation for inflated concrete prices that contractors claim resulted from the Meltons’ scheme. Last month, the plaintiffs pushed for court approval to depose the imprisoned brothers, hoping to extract admissions that could strengthen their claims.
ARGOS Ready Mix, the company where Gregory Melton served as a division manager, had already reached a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021. Instead of pleading guilty, the company paid a $20 million criminal fine and avoided trial. But for the Meltons, avoiding trial wasn’t an option—they denied all charges and went to court, only to face conviction.
The civil case is distinct from the criminal one, but the evidence overlaps. The question now is how much weight the court will give to the recordings and trial testimony when deciding whether the contractors deserve restitution.
A Sales Manager Turned Whistleblower
Christopher Young wasn’t just another witness; he was the prosecution’s linchpin. Having spent years in the industry, he had firsthand knowledge of how deals were made—and, in this case, manipulated. His decision to document conversations with a hidden recorder changed the trajectory of the case.
- Young worked for Lafarge before Argos acquired the division.
- He later started his own ready-mix supply company after leaving the industry giant.
- His testimony was pivotal in securing the Meltons’ conviction.
Now, with the civil case in full swing, Young’s evidence could once again be the deciding factor in whether contractors recoup millions in alleged overcharges.
Will the recordings be enough to tip the scales in Charleston? That’s the question both sides are preparing to answer in court.
