Lexington Businessman Sentenced to 12 Months for Obstructing Justice

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Versailles, Kentucky, man, Timothy Wayne Wellman, 66, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, to 12 months and one day in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Greg Van Tatenhove, after previously being convicted of 11 counts involving obstructing justice, aiding and abetting the obstruction of a federal grand jury, and aiding and abetting individuals in making false statements to the FBI.           

 According to testimony at trial, Wellman requested that multiple employees of CRM Companies (CRM) donate money to the campaigns of two city council members and then reimbursed them for their donation. He later asked the employees to give false information to the FBI, who was conducting an investigation into public corruption allegations, by encouraging the employees to lie about reasons for the reimbursement checks and, in some instances, asking them to create false documents (including ledgers and tax forms) to support their false stories.           

Wellman was convicted in February 2020 after a five-day jury trial.

“A jury convicted the defendant of obstructing justice by counseling others to lie and create false documents, and hiding the truth from federal investigators and a federal grand jury,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Obstructing federal law enforcement and grand jury investigations undermines the foundation of our criminal justice system. We will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of these important cases.”   

Under federal law, Wellman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and upon his release will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. In addition to his prison sentence, Wellman must also pay fine of $10,000. 

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly made the announcement. 

The investigation was directed by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Roth and Ken Taylor.

 The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

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