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Aaron Micah Jamison, Fraud & Waste, Kentucky 2020
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Aaron Micah Jamison, 45, formerly of Lexington, is headed to federal prison after receiving a 36-month sentence for a trifecta of offenses: theft from employee benefit plans, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and the unlawful storage of hazardous waste. Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves handed down the sentence on Thursday, September 24th, bringing a close to a case that exposed a pattern of deceit and financial exploitation.
Jamison, the former CEO of Micah Group, LLC – a construction and remediation firm – systematically siphoned over $30,000 in 401(k) contributions from his employees between March 2016 and October 2016. Instead of forwarding those funds, he pocketed them for personal use and to prop up his struggling business. The scheme didn’t stop there. From April to late April 2017, Jamison also failed to remit nearly $5,000 in pre-tax health contributions, further depriving his employees of benefits they’d earned.
The fraud extended beyond employee funds. Micah Group was contracted to abandon groundwater monitoring wells at sites across Kentucky, including gas stations and convenience stores. But Jamison repeatedly signed off on work that hadn’t been properly completed, falsely claiming the wells were safe to collect payment from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. This deception, spanning 2013 to 2017, ultimately cost the state approximately $640,000, forcing officials to address the improperly abandoned wells.
Adding to the litany of crimes, Jamison also admitted to illegally storing hazardous waste at Micah Group’s premises between January 2016 and December 2017. He was paid to *properly* transport and dispose of the waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), but instead chose to cut corners, endangering both the public and the environment. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division flagged the dangerous practice.
“The defendant stole from his employees and lied to state authorities to further his own interests,” stated Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “His conduct not only financially harmed his employees and caused the state to spend money to clean up his mess, but he also potentially put the public at risk.” Joe Rivers, Regional Director of the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, emphasized the importance of protecting employee benefit programs from such breaches of trust.
Jamison pleaded guilty in January 2020. He’ll serve 85% of his 36-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $640,638.31 in restitution. The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Secret Service, the EPA, and the Department of Labor, a grim reminder that financial crimes and environmental violations often go hand-in-hand.
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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