Defendant Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Scientific Equipment

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Terrence Mullen, age 41, of Boonton, New Jersey, today to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for interstate transportation of property taken by fraud.  Judge Grimm also entered an order that Mullen forfeit and pay restitution of $414,682.89.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, in September and October 2013, using a fraudulent internet domain name, Mullen emailed a company that specialized in producing and selling scientific devices about the purchase of two mass spectrometers and related equipment for over $400,000.  In order to obtain credit to make the purchase, in September 2013, Mullen submitted false information to the company on the credit application, including a false name, references and banking information. 

In order to conceal the fraud scheme from New Jersey law enforcement, in October 2013, Mullen rented business space in Beltsville, Maryland and directed the company to deliver the mass spectrometers and equipment to the Beltsville location.  After the company shipped the items from Texas to Beltsville, Mullen sold the spectrometers to a company located in New Jersey.  Mullen used the sales proceeds to pay for personal expenses and a family member’s educational expenses.

The amount of the loss to the company as a result of the scheme was at least $414,682.89.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Michael T. Packard, who prosecuted the case.