Joseph Eventino DeLeon, Wire Fraud, Texas 2024

A Texas man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for his role in a secret probation scam that bilked a local mother out of more than $700,000.

Joseph Eventino DeLeon, 63, was convicted alongside retired FBI agent William Stone of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in February 2024. DeLeon was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who also ordered him to pay $765,320.37 in restitution to his victim.

According to evidence presented at trial, Stone and DeLeon convinced their victim, C.T., that she was under 'secret probation' for federal drug crimes in 'Judge Anderson's court in Austin, Texas.' They required her to text them written reports of her daily activities and to compensate them for their supervisory services, as well as any expenses they incurred.

The victim was eventually persuaded to transfer her inherited assets out of a trust and into an account under her own name, and was even told that Judge Anderson would discharge her probation if she agreed to marry Stone. DeLeon was also accused of carrying a weapon in the victim's home while purportedly providing 'protective services' for her.

Stone was previously sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and taken into custody, as was DeLeon. The investigation was conducted by the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenna Rudoff, Donna Strittmatter Max, and Marcus Busch prosecuted the case, with the support of Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Miller and Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Pryor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha is handling the forfeiture.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying the authenticity of official communications and the dangers of falling victim to scams. It is a testament to the dedication and expertise of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors who work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/coconspirator-agents-secret-probation-fraud-scheme-sentenced-70-months-prison