BENTON, Ill. - Christopher Thompson, 30, of Kevil, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to one count of
Wire Fraud and seven counts of Mail Fraud for engaging in a scheme to defraud the Massac County
Emergency Management Agency. Thompson was the Assistant Director of the Emergency
Management Agency in Massac County and also served as the IT Manager for the Massac County Board of
Commissioners. As part of the plea, Thompson admitted to using official business accounts to pay
for personal expenditures and admitted to opening up business lines of credit without authority for
personal use causing a loss in excess of $50,000. As part of the plea, Thompson consented to
forfeiture of items fraudulently purchased and otherwise consented to a forfeiture judgment in the
amount of $52,054.51.
Thompson’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2022. A federal district court
judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other
statutory factors.
Each count of Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to twenty years
in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, three years supervised release and restitution.
FBI Springfield Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Massac
County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman Smith and Monica Stump are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
