Rockford Man Charged with Fraud Involving Fictitious Money Orders Exceeding $500,000

ROCKFORD, IL—A Rockford, Illinois man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and passing fictitious money orders. Bradley Sherman Hampton, 53, was charged with nine counts of fraudulently producing and passing fictitious financial instruments that appeared to be issued under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury. The nine fictitious money orders, totaling $547,578, were dated between July 15, 2009 and October 14, 2009.

Hampton is scheduled to appear at the federal courthouse in Rockford on Friday, March 22, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., for arraignment. The arraignment will be conducted by United States Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney.

Each count of producing a fictitious fmancial instrument and each count of passing a fictitious financial instrument carries a penalty of 25 years or more in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, as well as restitution.

The indictment was announced today by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illionis; Frank Benedetto, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security; and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Members of the public are reminded that a criminal indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.