Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com.

Help support the publication of case reports on MoreLaw

Date: 12-07-2019

Case Style:

United States of America v. Annie Fields

Case Number: 1:19-cr-00269-TWP-MJD

Judge: Tanya Pratt

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (Marion County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: James M. Warden

Defendant's Attorney:


Call 918-582-6422 for help finding a criminal defense lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana for representation on a wire fraud charge.


Description: Indianapolis, IN - The United States of America charged Annie Fields with wire fraud.

Annie Fields, 54, Lebanon, Indiana, was sentenced in federal court, by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, to 21 months in federal prison, after being charged by information and pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud.

"Fields abused her position with M&M, took advantage of her elderly employers, and violated their trust," said Minkler. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those individuals who perpetrate elder fraud schemes against vulnerable and elderly victims."

Annie Fields was employed by M&M, Inc., (M&M), an automotive services business located in Zionsville, Boone County, Indiana. Fields’ duties included bookkeeping and clerical responsibilities. The owners of M&M are elderly and were vulnerable to being victimized and exploited, by people like fields. They hired Fields for her experience in accounting and they entrusted Fields to manage M&M’s books. Fields had access to M&M’s business account and business MasterCard. Fields was not authorized to use the checking account or credit card account for personal reasons.

On several occasions, between September 2012 and December 2014, Fields wrote unauthorized checks payable to herself, or to her creditors on the M&M bank account. In creating the fraudulent checks, Fields also prepared a false copy of these checks, which contained a different payee, and appeared to be an authorized business payee for M&M. Fields made the false copies available to M&M officials.

Between October 9, 2012 and July 3, 2014, Fields, on many occasions, used the M&M credit card account for unauthorized personal expenses. In order to hide these transactions from M&M officials, Fields prepared altered credit card statements, which omitted her unauthorized transactions, and made only these false versions of the statements available to M&M officials. Fields’ fraudulent schemes resulted in a loss of $36,895 to M&M.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"When the elderly are defrauded, this can cause a significant financial hardship and these losses can be devastating to them," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Middleton, FBI Indianapolis. "Today’s sentence sends a clear message – the FBI will hold perpetrators of elder fraud schemes accountable and ensure our elderly citizens receive the protection they deserve."

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case for the government, Fields will serve two years’ supervised release following her prison sentence. Fields will pay full restitution to the victims in the amount of $36,895.00, as ordered by the court.

Charge:

Wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343

Outcome: 12/04/2019 25 MINUTE ENTRY for change of plea and sentencing held before Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on 12/4/2019: Defendant ANNIE FIELDS (1) appeared in person and by retained counsel Charles C. Hayes. Appearance for the USA by AUSA Jim Warden. USPO represented by Stephanie Ivie. Plea Accepted. Sentence imposed. Judgment forthcoming. Signed by Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. (Court Reporter David Moxley) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit list)(TRG) (Entered: 12/04/2019)

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments:



Find a Lawyer

Subject:
City:
State:
 

Find a Case

Subject:
County:
State: