Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Making False Statements to FBI

January 26, 2010 - United States Attorney Paula D. Silsby announced that Matthew R. Theriault, 25, of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to wire fraud and making false statements to a government agency.

According to court records, from October 2006 to December 2006 Theriault devised and executed a scheme involving the sale of stolen tractors over the eBay Internet auction site. Theriault sold the tractors to unwitting buyers and personally transported the tractors from Maine to other states. Theriault knew at the time he sold and transported the tractors that they were stolen. As part of his scheme, in December of 2006 Theriault e-mailed a doctored bill of sale to a purchaser of one of the tractors in an effort to create a false paper trail for the stolen tractor. In an interview that was conducted as part of the criminal investigation, Theriault falsely claimed that he had purchased several tractors and trailers from an individual in Charlton, Massachusetts, when in fact he had not purchased the tractors and trailers from this individual.

Theriault faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both on the wire fraud charge. He faces a maximum possible sentence of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both on the false statement charge. Theriault, whose bail had been revoked previously, remained detained pending sentencing.

United States Attorney Silsby praised the investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lewiston Police Department.