Clinton Man Sentenced for Fraud Scheme
At Least 23 Stores Sustained $242,000 in Losses Due to Fraudulent Purchases

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Clinton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme that victimized at least 23 stores in a three-state area, resulting in more than $242,000 in losses.

Jason M. Hendricks, 34, of Clinton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five years in federal prison without parole.

Hendricks engaged in a prolific fraud scheme from July 2008 to March 2009, to obtain merchandise and gift cards with non-sufficient funds checks, counterfeit checks, and checks written on closed accounts. Victims of the fraud scheme included at least 23 stores in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska that sustained at least $242,841 in total losses. Some of the merchandise was kept by Hendricks’ friends and co-conspirators. Other merchandise was sold online, including via eBay and Craigslist.

On June 24, 2010, Hendricks pled guilty to executing a scheme to defraud Nebraska Furniture Mart by transporting merchandise, which had been taken by fraud, across state lines. Hendricks admitted that he ordered a front-load washer and dryer and a pedestal from Nebraska Furniture Mart on Aug. 2, 2008. When he arrived the next day to pay for the appliances, he also purchased some office furniture, two 60-inch plasma HDTVs, four notebook computers, a desktop computer, a 19-inch LCD flat screen, and computer software. In addition, he received two $150 rewards cards from Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Hendricks admitted that he used two fraudulent checks totaling $20,860 to make the purchases at Nebraska Furniture Mart. Both of the checks were drawn on a closed UMB Bank account. Hendricks transported the merchandise from Wyandotte County, Kan., to Harrisonville, Mo., where it was unloaded into another person’s garage.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel M. Nelson. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department and the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department.