KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A federal appeals court has upheld the Knoxville convictions of two men in a trade secrets case, but sent it back for resentencing.
A U.S. District Court jury convicted Clark Roberts and Sean Howley of seven counts of stealing trade secrets and three counts of wire fraud.
Roberts and Howley worked as engineers at Wyko Tire Technology, a Tennessee company that supplied Goodyear with parts for its tire-assembly machines. They were convicted of taking cellphone photos while at a Goodyear plant in Topeka, Kan., where the tire company made large tires for off-road equipment.
Wyko had been hired to make similar machines for a Chinese company.
Roberts and Howley were sentenced to four months of home confinement, public service and probation.
The appeals court wants clarification of the new sentences.
