SIOUX FALLS, SD – A ring of six Sioux Falls residents has been brought to justice for a brazen conspiracy to commit bank fraud, according to a statement released by U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. The group systematically stole checks, altered them, and attempted to defraud financial institutions across the District of South Dakota. The scheme, active between July and August 2017, involved pilfering mail and manipulating legitimate checks for illicit gain.
The sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier, varied depending on each defendant’s role in the operation. Brande Black, 40, received 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wakinyan Gay, 20, also received 18 months behind bars, with the same five-year supervised release term, plus restitution of $11,135.90 and the $100 victim fund assessment.
Cornell Butler, 46, received a lighter sentence of time served, along with five years of supervised release, restitution of $3,093.13, and the standard $100 assessment. Vanessa Carr, 38, similarly received time served and three years of supervised release, also paying the $100 assessment. The harshest sentence went to Brandy Scholl, a/k/a Brandy Bentine, 39, who was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, restitution of $32,189.07, and the $100 assessment.
Rounding out the sentenced defendants, Brittany Hockett, 28, was given time served, four years of supervised release, restitution of $17,110.04, and the $100 assessment. All six defendants were initially indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2018, and each subsequently pled guilty: Black on June 25, 2018; Gay on July 26, 2018; Butler on July 30, 2018; Carr on October 3, 2018; Scholl on November 5, 2018; and Hockett on February 1, 2019.
Investigators revealed the conspiracy involved stealing legitimate checks from unsecured mailboxes of individuals and businesses in the Sioux Falls area. The stolen checks were then altered – original payee information and payment amounts were removed and replaced with fraudulent details, designed to deceive financial institutions. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service spearheaded the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuting the case.
Black, Gay, and Scholl were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving their sentences. While Butler, Carr, and Hockett received time served, their supervised release periods will ensure continued monitoring. This case serves as a stark warning: tampering with the mail and defrauding financial institutions carries serious federal consequences, and the Grimy Times will continue to report on these crimes as they come to light.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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