Greenbelt, Maryland - Lowell Meredith Sherman, age 49, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme defraud a non-profit organization.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Postal Inspector in Charge David G. Bowers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to this plea agreement, from 2005 through January 2010, and again from June 2013 through October 2014, Sherman was an employee at a non-profit organization in Montgomery County, Maryland. Between April 2011 and August 2014, Sherman and his co-conspirator, who was also employed at the organization, without authorization, caused the company to purchase unneeded electronic devices, including hard drives and memory tapes, which Sherman and his co-conspirator then sold on-line. Sherman and his co-conspirator used email to communicate with potential buyers and used online payment companies to accept payment for the items and to distribute the payments amongst themselves.
The government believes that the total loss as a result of Sherman’s conduct is $292,593.75. Sherman admits that the amount of loss reasonably foreseeable to him is at least $120,000. The exact amount of loss will be determined at sentencing and as part of his plea agreement Sherman has agreed to the entry of a restitution order in that amount.
Sherman faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Feb. 29, 2016, at 11:00 am.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Montgomery County Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
