TYLER, Texas – Longview’s James Leroy Frattarola, a 47-year-old silver bar swindler, has been sent to federal prison for selling fakes. The Department of Justice announced today that the Eastern District of Texas sentenced Frattarola to 21 months behind bars.
Frattarola pleaded guilty on Mar. 5, 2014, to possessing counterfeit silver bars with intent to defraud another person. According to court records, he had some 90 one-ounce silver bars, falsely marked with the .999 purity stamp and a fictional ‘Northwest Territorial Mint’ imprint.
The fraudster’s scheme targeted nine victims in Texas, including Longview. Frattarola was caught after being indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 23, 2013.
On Sep. 13, 2013, authorities found the counterfeit bars in Frattarola’s possession, and he admitted to selling them with the intent to deceive. Besides the prison term, Judge Michael H. Schneider ordered him to pay $28,720.40 in restitution to his nine duped victims.
This case was a joint effort by several law enforcement agencies: the U.S. Secret Service, Longview Police Department, Kingsville Police Department, Terrell Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, and Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble led the prosecution.
Frattarola’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to profit from deceitful schemes, even if it means facing federal prison time.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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