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The United States Attorney's Office
Middle District of Tennessee
Ed Yarbrough
United States Attorney
Lori Glenn
Assistant U.S. Attorney
NINE INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRACY TO STRUCTURE OVER $4.5 MILLION IN MONEY TRANSACTIONS AND TO COMMIT TOBACCO FRAUD
Nashville, TN – November 19, 2008- Ed Yarbrough, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; My Harrison, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Division; Louis Huttenbach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General; Christopher Pikeless, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation Division, Nashville Field Office; and Mark Gwyn, Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, announced that the final defendant convicted of a conspiracy to structure cash transactions was sentenced today by Chief Judge Todd Campbell of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
In October 2007, after a seven day jury trial before Judge Campbell, a jury found Christopher L. Sutton and Ronald D. Bowen, of Ayden, North Carolina, guilty of conspiring to structure over $4.5 million in cash to evade reporting requirements. The jury also found these defendants subject to a $4.5 million forfeiture. Co-defendants Bobby C. Cates, of Lexington, Kentucky, Garth E. Middaugh, of Lafayette, Tennessee, Clarence W. Shirk, of Beavertown, Pennsylvania, Kenneth A. Swayne, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Rennie Turner, of Winterville, North Carolina, previously pled guilty to conspiring to structure cash to evade reporting requirements. Robert D. Oldham of Nashville, Tennessee, pled guilty to conspiring to structure cash to evade reporting requirements, conspiring to make false statements to the USDA regarding the tobacco program, and money laundering. Sam A. Turner, of Cookeville, Tennessee, pled guilty to conspiring to make false statements to the USDA regarding the tobacco program.
Today, Ronald D. Bowen was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment. On November 12, 2008, Christopher L. Sutton was sentenced to sixty months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $4.5 million for conspiring to structure currency. On November 12, 2008, Rennie Turner was sentenced to fifty-one months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $4.5 million for conspiring to structure currency. On November 10, 2008, Robert D. Oldham was sentenced to five years probation, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18,633.20, and ordered to forfeit $4.5 million and $11,000 for conspiring to structure currency, conspiring to make false statements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and money laundering. On December 17, 2007, Bobby C. Cates was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $14,230 for conspiring to structure currency. On November 16, 2007, Clarence W. Shirk was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to forfeit $182,865.30 for conspiring to structure currency. On November 16, 2007, Garth E. Middaugh was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to forfeit $100,571 for conspiring to structure currency. On November 16, 2007, Kenneth Swayne was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to forfeit $91,105 for conspiracy to structure currency. On April 13, 2007, Sam A. Turner was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a fine of $4686 for conspiring to make false statements to the USDA.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI, USDA-Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and TBI. Assistant U. S. Attorney Lori Glenn represented the United States.