FRANKFORT, KY. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Kentucky, Eastern), published as received.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Ronald Jerome Woolfolk, Jr., 27, was sentenced on Tuesday to 34 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. 

Woolfolk was employed as a licensed mortician apprentice at a funeral home in Fayette County. In his position, Woolfolk had access to the personal identifying information of clients and deceased persons, as well as the funeral home’s email address. According to his plea agreement, from on or about August 15, 2022, through October 16, 2023, Woolfolk defrauded a charity that financially supported families affected by the tragedy of losing a child. Using the funeral home’s email address, Woolfolk submitted approximately 23 requests to the charity seeking financial assistance on behalf of both real and fictitious deceased persons and their families. The requests contained false information and fictitious documentation to support the requests for funding, including fake invoices for funeral expenses, fake cremation certificates, and fabricated letters using the funeral home’s letterhead. Woolfolk directed the payments to a fake company he created. Of the approximately 23 fraudulent requests for assistance, Woolfolk sought assistance with funeral expenses for three real deceased babies/toddlers and two young adults. Neither the funeral home, nor the family members of the deceased, knew of Woolfolk’s actions. 

In total, Woolfolk fraudulently obtained $11,929.49 from the charity. 

Under federal law, Woolfolk, Jr., must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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