Tracie Sonnier, 51, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for stealing $335,015.67 from her employer through a calculated wire fraud scheme. The hard-fought sentencing, delivered by United States District Judge Michael J. Juneau, marks the end of a years-long financial betrayal that gutted a local marine business.
Sonnier, once a trusted administrative assistant with bookkeeping responsibilities at Aries Marine Corporation, exploited her position from 1996 until her termination in May 2020. Instead of safeguarding company assets, she weaponized access to bank accounts, funneling funds into unauthorized personal expenses. Her crimes went undetected for years, leaving a trail of financial wreckage in her wake.
The scheme unraveled when Aries Marine discovered discrepancies in its accounts—missing money, unauthorized transactions, a pattern of deceit. An investigation launched by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lafayette Police Department peeled back the layers, revealing Sonnier’s systematic theft through electronic transfers. The total loss: $335,015.67, a staggering sum for any small business.
On July 19, 2021, Sonnier pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud via a Bill of Information, admitting her role in the electronic deception. Prosecutors proved she initiated transfers without authorization, using the company’s infrastructure to enrich herself while Aries hemorrhaged cash. Her guilty plea spared a trial but not the consequences.
Now, she faces 24 months behind bars followed by 3 years of supervised release. On top of incarceration, U.S. District Judge Juneau ordered full restitution—$335,015.67—to be repaid to the company she betrayed. The judgment sends a clear message: white-collar crime carries steel-toed consequences.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case, backed by federal and local investigators who dismantled Sonnier’s facade of legitimacy. The collaboration between the U.S. Secret Service and the Lafayette Police Department underscores the growing focus on financial crimes that strangle small businesses from the inside. For Aries Marine, justice came late—but it came.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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