United States v. Mark David Ray

PENDING CRIMINAL DIVISION CASES

United States v. Mark David Ray (20-cr-40007; C.D. Illinois)
and
United States v. Reva Joyce Stachniw and Ron Throgmartin (1:21-cr-00148; D. Colorado)

Court Assigned: U.S. v. Stachniw et al is assigned to the Honorable Philip A. Brimmer, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse, 901 19^th Street, Denver, CO 80294.

U.S. v. Ray is assigned to the Honorable Sara Darrow, U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Currently Holding Chambers at U.S. Courthouse, 131 E. 4th Street, Davenport, IA 52801.

Latest Updates:

On May 13, 2024, a motion for compassionate release as to defendant Reva J. Stachniw was filed with the Court. If you would like an opportunity to confer with an attorney for the government and/or provide feedback on the motion, please send an email to victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. All feedback must be received no later than May 21, 2024.

On June 15, 2023, defendant Mark David Ray was sentenced to 50 months of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, defendant Ray was ordered to pay $23,374,664.54 in restitution. Defendant Ray’s self-surrender date is July 17, 2023 by 2:00 PM.

On February 17, 2023 defendant Reva Stachniw was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, $14,597,335.80 in restitution, and a forfeiture of $6,013,370. Defendant Ron Throgmartin was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, $14,597,335.80 in restitution, jointly and severally, and a forfeiture of $1,004,904.83.

Participants interested in joining the event through zoom or telephone conference can contact us for details by sending us an email through; Victimassistance.Fraud@CRM.USDOJ.GOV or through our Call Center at 1-866-365-4968.

Criminal Charges: On April 22, 2021, Reva Joyce Stachniw of Galesburg, Illinois, and Ron Throgmartin, of Buford, Georgia, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in proceeds of specified unlawful activity. The indictment alleges that Stachniw, Throgmartin, and Mark David Ray, named therein as a co-conspirator (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Conspirators”), perpetuated an investment fraud scheme that solicited hundreds of millions of dollars from victim-investors who gave money on the Conspirators’ false promises that the investment money would be used for legitimate business activity related to cattle or marijuana. The Conspirators concealed from victim-investors that their money was being used either to repay other investors in a Ponzi-style investment scheme, or to enrich themselves.

On February 2, 2020, Mark David Ray, of Denver, Colorado, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. The criminal information alleges that between December 2014 and continuing through approximately March 2019, Ray conspired to defraud more than 10 victims throughout the United States, including in the Central District of Illinois, by inducing them to send money to him under the false pretense that he would use the victims’ money to purchase cattle, which, after a short period of time, he would resell at a profit. The criminal information further alleges that Ray, instead of using his victims’ money as promised, diverted the money to fund operations at multiple businesses he owned and operated; to perpetrate and conceal the fraud, Ray over time allegedly also used his victims’ money to re-pay money that he had fraudulently obtained from other victims in a Ponzi-style scheme. On February 2, 2020, Ray pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Ray is currently released on bond pending a future sentencing hearing, the date of which is to be determined.

For information about the charges in this case, please see below:
Indictment – Stachniw et al
Press Release – Stachniw et al
Information - Ray

The information on this website will be updated as new developments arise in the case. If you have any questions, please call the Victim Assistance Line toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or email us at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

Presumption of Innocence: It is important to keep in mind that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and that presumption requires both the court and our office to take certain steps to ensure that justice is served.

Crime Victims’ Rights Act and Right to Retain Counsel: The Crime Victims’ Rights Act (18 U.S.C. § 3771) applies only to victims of the counts charged in federal court, and thus individuals may not be able to exercise all of these rights if the crime of which the individual is a victim was not charged. Section 377I(c)(2) of this Act requires that we advise you that you have the right to retain counsel. Although the statute specifically sets forth your right to seek advice of an attorney with regard to your rights under the statute, there is no requirement that you retain counsel. The Government may not recommend any specific counsel, nor can the Government (or the Court) pay for counsel to represent you. Government attorneys represent the United States.

If you elect to obtain counsel to represent your interests, please have your attorney notify this office in writing at: U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section, 10th & Constitution Avenue, NW, Bond Building, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20530, Attention: Victim Witness Unit; fax: (202) 514-3708; or email: victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail). If you elect not to retain counsel to represent your interests, you do not need to do anything.

Plea Agreements: Please be aware that many criminal cases are resolved by plea agreement between the Department of Justice and the defendant. You should also know that it is not unusual for a defendant to seek to negotiate a plea agreement shortly before trial is scheduled to begin. Plea agreements can be made at any time and as late as the morning of trial, leaving little or no opportunity to provide notice to you of the date and time of the plea hearing. If the court schedules a plea hearing in this case, we will use our best efforts to notify you of available information as soon as practicable. If you want to inform the prosecutor of your views regarding potential plea agreements, or any other aspect of the case, please call the Victim Assistance Line toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or email us at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail), and we will put you in touch with the prosecutor.