Christopher B. Tolley, Making False Statements, West Virginia 2019

SCRANTON – A 35-year-old man from West Virginia faces serious charges after allegedly making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Christopher B. Tolley, a resident of Hinton, West Virginia, was charged in a criminal information with making false statements to the FBI, a serious offense that can carry a significant prison sentence.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that on May 22, 2019, Tolley represented to a task force officer with the FBI that he was unaware of a bank account held in his name at Sun Trust Bank.

However, investigators claim that Tolley had personally opened the bank account and deposited a stolen check for $95,154.54 into the account, making his previous statement a blatant lie.

The case was investigated by the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuting the case.

Tolley’s alleged actions are a serious breach of trust, and he now faces the possibility of up to five years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

Criminal Informations are only allegations, and Tolley is presumed innocent until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt will be imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The case serves as a reminder that making false statements to law enforcement is a serious offense with serious consequences.

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