Ex-Home Depot Manager Faces Theft Charges

Gary Franklin

ATLANTA (AP) -- A former Home Depot Inc. manager is facing
federal charges that he shared the Atlanta-based retail giant's
trade secrets with a potential vendor.

Guillermo Martinez was charged Thursday with one count of theft of trade secrets after prosecutors say he tried to give the unnamed vendor an unfair advantage.

Prosecutors say in court filings that Martinez was a senior
manager in the company's product engineering department responsible for assisting vendors who sought to sell products to the company.

They say he gave the vendor "confidential and proprietary
pricing information" from Home Depot during a product review in
May 2008, including the price the retail giant was paying the
vendor's competitors.

Court documents show a $5,000 bond was set for Martinez.
Martinez's attorney did not immediately respond to calls seeking
comment.

Associated Press

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