Jamie Gene Thompson Pleads Not Guilty to Access Device Fraud

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Jamie Gene Thompson, 46, a California native who most recently lived in Vermont, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Brattleboro to a charge of access device fraud. U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha ordered that Thompson be detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

On February 27, 2013, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a one-count indictment charging Thompson with access device fraud. According to court records, in about 2010, Thompson became a live-in care provider for an elderly couple in Charlotte. Thompson’s duties involved providing medical and physical assistance and transportation. He also handled some of the couple’s finances. According to the indictment, between September and October 2012, Thompson defrauded the couple by using one of their credit cards to make about 80 unauthorized purchases of good and services which totaled approximately $9,000. He also allegedly made about $46,000 in unauthorized withdrawals from an investment account the couple had at Wells Fargo. The Wells Fargo funds were assertedly used to pay down balances on personal credit cards which had been issued to Thompson.

Thompson was arrested by FBI agents in California in March.

The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Thompson is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.

If convicted, Thompson faces up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thompson is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.