A Crawford, Ark., resident yesterday was sentenced for leading a bank fraud conspiracy in Webster County and elsewhere.
Phillip Shockey, 50, was sentenced to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $159,842. He pleaded guilty in January 2015 to leading a conspiracy to defraud more than a dozen banks between July 31, 2013, and Feb. 28, 2014.
The judgement includes $114,127 to be paid to 14 Missouri banks and credit unions, according to a news release from the office of Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
During the extent of the fraud scheme, Shockey and at least 12 co-conspirators stole mail, printed counterfeit checks, passed the checks with fake identification and opened at least five fake businesses to conceal funds.
Shockey and co-conspirators attempted to pass 51 checks for a loss to financial institutions of at least $159,842, according to the release.
Co-defendant James Guerin, 42, of Tulsa, Okla., the former owner of Rogersville Septic Services LLC, awaits sentencing after
pleading guilty in November to being an accessory after the fact to aggravated identity theft.
Under the court’s permission in 2013, Shockey moved in to Guerin’s Sparta home after Shockey served time in Arkansas for wire fraud. While living together, Shockey began creating fraudulent financial documents using bank accounts and routing numbers of customers from Guerin’s plumbing business. Guerin learned of the activity and allowed it to continue while continuing to give Shockey a place to stay, according to the release.
Four co-defendants who pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme have been sentenced. They are:
• Michael Spears, 37, of Fort Smith, Ark., seven years in federal prison without parole;
• Donald Spears, 35, of Columbia, two years and three months in prison without parole;
• Amanda Roberts, 31, of Tulsa, three years and one month in prison without parole; and
• Laura Goines, 33, of Tulsa, undisclosed amount of time served, according to the release.
