J. Nicholas Bryant, Wire Fraud, Texas 2022
Wire fraud has landed a young Texas man behind bars for 14 long years. J. Nicholas Bryant, 26, of Slaton, Texas, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Thursday, November 2022, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Bryant pleaded guilty to wire fraud in November 2022, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who handed down a sentence five years longer than the guideline range based on the defendant's cavalier attitude and the egregious nature of the scheme.
The defendant engaged in various wire fraud schemes to defraud at least 56 unsuspecting individuals and small businesses during an 18-month crime spree that spanned multiple states.
The fruits of his crimes brought him luxury goods and services – including private jet rides, private yacht excursions, and extravagant meals complete with champagne and steak.
In many instances, Bryant manipulated online payment platforms like QuickBooks and Veem to make it appear that payments were forthcoming. He satisfied vendors and business owners that payments were forthcoming when due, he admitted in plea papers, knowing that the software would generate payment confirmations immediately but would take several days to notify victims of cancelled payments.
In all, he defrauded and attempted to defraud victims of more than $3.5 million, and successfully racked up nearly $1.2 million in actual losses to the victims, prosecutors said at Thursday's sentencing hearing.
The defendant's crimes were not limited to one scheme. In one fraud scheme, Bryant convinced small businesses to front money and equipment to reopen an oil well. He exploited the trust of former colleagues, friends, and acquaintances who worked in the West Texas oil and gas industry, where business is often conducted with a handshake, the government said.
Judge Hendrix determined that Bryant had failed to accept responsibility for his crimes and revoked the credit he was set to receive based on acceptance of responsibility. He also ordered Bryant to pay $1,185,691.38 in restitution to his victims.
The U.S. Secret Service's Lubbock Resident Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Investigations Division, the Lubbock Police Department, the Brazos County Sheriff's Office, the Brownwood Police Department, Texas Parks & Wildlife of Coleman County, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana, and the Cody Police Department in Wyoming conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Chapman.
Defendant: J. Nicholas Bryant
Crime: Wire fraud
City and state: Slaton, Texas
Exact date: Thursday, November 2022
Sentence: 14 years in federal prison
Dollar amounts: $3.5 million (attempted losses), $1,185,691.38 (actual losses, ordered restitution)
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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