NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that
JESSE MARCUS ESTES, age 44, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to
commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk.
ESTES faces a term of imprisonment of up to twenty (20)
years imprisonment, a maximum $250,000.00 fine, and up to three (3) years of
supervised release. Judge Africk
scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2019.
According to court documents, ESTES conspired to commit wire
fraud while employed by Texas Steam & Instrumentation Company (Texas
Steam), a corporation related to Louisiana Steam Equipment Company, a Louisiana
company located in New Orleans. As Executive Vice President, ESTES conspired
with two Texas companies to defraud Texas Steam through a scheme to have Texas
Steam or Louisiana Steam pay false invoices generated by the two Texas
companies. The Texas companies then kicked back funds to ESTES by paying for
fraudulent invoices from Industrial Sales, a company operated by ESTES. ESTES
also used another company he owned and operated, Tru-Line Builders, to pass
fraudulent invoices through Texas Steam. The scheme spanned from 2007 until
2014 and the defendant stole approximately $374,626 from Louisiana Steam and
related subsidiary companies through a fraudulent “pay to play” scheme.
U.S. Attorney Strasser thanked the Federal Bureau of
Investigation for its investigation in this matter. Assistant United States
Attorneys Patrice Harris Sullivan and Duane A. Evans are in charge of the
prosecution.
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