A federal grand jury in Atlanta on Tuesday indicted three people in a bribery scheme involving contracts to provide water to U.S. troops overseas.

The indictment alleged that Mack Smith, the owner of a Tennessee water company, funneled bribes to a civilian employee at Fort McPherson and his wife to secure water-purification contracts, including one valued at more than $32 million.

Also charged were Richard E. Long, 63, and his wife, Debra L. Long, 44, both of St. Augustine, Fla. The Longs and Smith, 56, of Bladenboro, N.C., face a 105-count indictment on charges of conspiracy, bribery of a public official and money laundering.

From 2001 to 2007, Smith paid out more than a half-million dollars in bribes to the Longs, including down payments for a home the Longs purchased and another bought by Debra Long's sister, the indictment said.

"It is disturbing to think that anyone would possibly compromise the most basic of human needs for our men and women in uniform who are fighting for this country in an incredibly harsh and dangerous environment," Brig. Gen. Rodney Johnson, commanding general of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, said in a statement.

According to the U.S. attorney's office in Atlanta, Long worked as water and petroleum program manager for the U.S. Department of the Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson from November 1996 through December 2004.

In 1998, Smith, who owned WATEC, a company that provided water-purification equipment and services, began sending money to the Longs, usually through mailed checks or wire transfers, the indictment said. In exchange, Long allegedly recommended that every water-purification contract be awarded to WATEC.

During Long's tenure as manager, WATEC continually was awarded — either as contractor or subcontractor — contracts on which it placed bids, the indictment said.

"We are committed to supporting the brave men and women of our armed forces, who volunteer to go into harm's way to protect our freedom," U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said in a statement. "The defendants' alleged scheme betrayed those service members and the public by guaranteeing that the water supply for Army personnel risking their lives in hot and dry lands overseas came not from the most capable supplier, but from the one willing to bribe the key decision maker."