Mitchell Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mitchell man charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud was sentenced on December 13, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol. Donald Bown, age 43, was sentenced to eight months of home confinement with electronic monitoring, one day of time served, three years of supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $100 assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

Bown was indicted for wire fraud by a federal grand jury on May 4, 2010.

Bown became involved with an individual he met over the Internet who had devised a scheme to defraud others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Bown knowingly functioned as a conduit for the scheme. Beginning in May 2008, he began receiving funds transferred from a variety of sources through Moneygram and Western Union. He quickly wired a portion of the funds to recipients in Africa and kept a portion for himself. His involvement in the scheme ended on or about December 31, 2009.

Bown pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on September 23, 2010.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner prosecuted the case.