SPRINGFIELD, MO. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Western), published as received.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for one count of wire fraud and one count of filing false tax.

Ray Leonard Marple, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool, for one count of wire fraud and one count of submitting false taxes. Marple was sentenced to 18 months incarceration with the Bureau of Prisons for each count to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $415,481.50 to the victim of his embezzlement and $86,210.84 to the Internal Revenue Service, for a total amount of $501,692.34 in restitution and a final order of forfeiture in the amount of $415,481.50. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.  

Marple used his position as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to serve as the executor of a trust for a family. As the executor of the trust, Marple then made numerous financial transactions that resulted in him embezzling $415,481.50. In addition, Marple also repeatedly filed false tax returns in 2018, 2019, and 2020, in which he grossly understated the amount of money that he earned during those years.  As a result of his false tax returns, Marple owes the United States $86,210.84 in unpaid income taxes.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

National Fraud Enforcement Division

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.