TULSA, OK – A brazen scheme to defraud a Bartlesville car dealership and banking institutions has landed 31-year-old William Ray Turner, of Tulsa, in federal court. Turner pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of wire fraud, admitting to a multi-year operation that racked up over $1 million in fraudulent vehicle sales.
According to court documents, Turner, formerly a sales associate at Patriot Chevrolet, exploited his position to steal identities and submit false loan applications. On September 14, 2020, he specifically used another individual’s identification to secure a $32,917 loan from Ally Bank for a 2019 KIA Sorento. The scheme wasn’t about acquiring the vehicle for himself; Turner pocketed a commission on the sale and then offloaded the SUV to a personal acquaintance.
“William Turner exploited his position when he stole an identity and used it to submit a false loan application for the purchase of a vehicle,” stated U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He then illegally profited from the crime by receiving a commission and selling the SUV to a personal acquaintance.” Johnson’s office is signaling a commitment to aggressively pursue white-collar criminals who target both businesses and the financial system.
The fraud wasn’t a one-time event. The indictment reveals that between March 2019 and October 2021, Turner systematically used stolen identities to purchase vehicles, often selling them for cash to individuals outside of normal dealership channels. These vehicles would leave the lot, and Turner would collect his commission, effectively laundering the proceeds of the fraud. He repeatedly used this method, accumulating a substantial illicit profit.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Secret Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Bartlesville Police Department, uncovered the depth of Turner’s deception. He wasn’t simply facilitating a few bad loans; he built a systematic operation centered around identity theft and fraudulent sales practices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Cella and Melody Noble Nelson.
While the sentencing date has not yet been announced, William Ray Turner now faces the consequences of his actions. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly sophisticated schemes built on trust and access can be exposed, and those who engage in financial crimes will be held accountable. The full extent of the recovery of the $1 million+ in fraudulent sales remains unclear at this time.
Related Federal Cases
- Janet Carolyn Jones, Social Security Fraud, Tulsa OK, 2023 · Oklahoma
- Kristen Renea Brown, Wire Fraud, OK, 2023 · Washington
- Michelle RENA McININCH, Wire Fraud, Atoka OK, 2023 · Washington
- Christopher Jacob Froehlich, Wire Fraud and Counterfeiting, OK, 2014 · Washington
- Michael Scott Calhoun, Wire/Mail Fraud, OK, 2023 · Texas
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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