A Lawrence County man has been sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to steal agricultural chemicals from his employer. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Christopher Michelfelder, 56, of Moulton, Alabama, to 63 months in prison. In December 2024, Michelfelder pleaded guilty to mail fraud.
According to the plea agreement, Michelfelder was the facility manager of the local branch of an international agricultural company that sells chemicals to customers. Over a decade, he executed a scheme where he stole products from his employer and sold them to a third-party broker under the false pretense that they belonged to his personal farm business, Midway Farms. Michelfelder shipped the products via FedEx to addresses provided by the broker. The loss amounted to over $6 million.
The FBI investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuting.
