BOISE, Idaho – James Dougherty, a 44-year-old man from Boise, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud an elderly victim of money and real property, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Dougherty to three years of supervised release to follow his prison term. His wife, Jessica Dougherty, 43, also of Boise, was sentenced to three years of probation for obstruction of justice.
According to court records, in early 2015, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise to ostensibly provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Prior to 2015, the victim, a retired elementary schoolteacher, lived independently on her ranch and enjoyed a comfortable retirement.
However, James Dougherty’s actions took a dark turn as the victim’s health deteriorated in late 2015, and he gained control of the victim’s finances, including being named as the victim’s power-of-attorney for finances.
James Dougherty used the victim’s funds without her knowledge or consent to pay his and Jessica Dougherty’s creditors to rehabilitate their credit and to qualify for a mortgage to ultimately transfer the victim’s ranch into the Doughertys’ personal names.
In total, as a result of James Dougherty’s fraud, the victim suffered a loss of more than $250,000.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
“Defrauding this vulnerable victim out of her home was a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “I am grateful for the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors in this case. The justice achieved here reinforces our commitment to protect our senior citizens from fraud and abuse.”
Defendant: James Dougherty
Criminal Charges: Wire fraud
City: Boise
State: Idaho
Crime Date: 2015
Sentence: 41 months in federal prison
Fine: None
Amount Lost: $250,000
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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