Tracie Sonnier, 51, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, is headed to federal prison after admitting she stole over $335,000 from her employer through a calculated wire fraud scheme that stretched over years. The administrative assistant turned embezzler abused her access to company accounts, funneling hundreds of thousands in unauthorized transfers to cover personal expenses while her employer remained in the dark.
Sonnier was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael J. Juneau to 24 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. On top of prison time, she’s been ordered to repay every dollar she stole—$335,015.67 in restitution—as punishment for the crime. The judgment closes the book on a betrayal of trust that gutted a Louisiana-based marine company.
She pleaded guilty on July 19, 2021, to a single count of wire fraud, charged via a Bill of Information filed by federal prosecutors. The case erupted after Aries Marine Corporation, where Sonnier worked from 1996 until her termination in May 2020, discovered discrepancies in their financial records and launched an internal review. That review unmasked a long-running theft operation hidden in plain sight.
As an administrative assistant with bookkeeping responsibilities, Sonnier had access to Aries’ banking infrastructure. Authorities say she used that access to orchestrate a scheme, authorizing transfers from company accounts to pay for personal bills, goods, and services with no approval from management. The fraud left a gaping hole in company finances totaling exactly $335,015.67.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Lafayette Police Department led the criminal investigation, peeling back layers of financial deception to build a case against Sonnier. Investigators traced digital footprints and transaction records that confirmed her unauthorized use of company funds. The evidence left no room for denial—her guilty plea confirmed her role in the fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case on behalf of the Department of Justice. Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook emphasized that exploiting workplace trust for personal gain won’t go unpunished. ‘This sentence sends a clear message,’ Van Hook said. ‘Stealing from your employer, especially on this scale, carries serious federal consequences.’
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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