Stephen S. Dennis, Wire Fraud, Missouri 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a shocking case of corruption, former Grandview Mayor Stephen S. Dennis, 51, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison without parole for his involvement in a $35,000 wire fraud scheme.

Dennis was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Howard F. Sachs after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud on Feb. 11, 2014. The court also ordered Dennis to pay a $5,000 fine, a move that was approved by International House of Prayer, the victim of the scheme, who requested that no restitution be ordered.

The wire fraud scheme, which began on Dec. 12, 2011, and ended on Nov. 29, 2013, involved Dennis soliciting donations for a corporation called Matters of the Heart, which he falsely claimed was a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation. Dennis used the $35,000 in donations from International House of Prayer Forerunner Christian Fellowship for his own personal benefit, including his family's living expenses, rather than for any charitable purpose.

Dennis, who resigned as mayor of Grandview on Jan. 10, 2014, incorporated Matters of the Heart as a nonprofit corporation and listed himself as incorporator, registered agent, and one of the three directors of the board. However, he listed two other individuals, B.S. and J.M., as the other two directors without their knowledge or permission.

The FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roseann A. Ketchmark. The public can report public corruption by calling the FBI's toll-free hotline at 1-855-KCPCTIP or emailing KCPCTIP@ic.fbi.gov.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of holding public officials accountable for their actions. As the former mayor of Grandview, Dennis had a position of trust and responsibility, but he chose to use that position for personal gain. We hope that this sentence sends a strong message that public corruption will not be tolerated.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/former-grandview-mayor-sentenced-35000-fraud-scheme