MAN SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN CONSPIRACY TO TRANSPORT PROPERTY STOLEN FROM EVANSVILLE BUSINESS

Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that RONALD KEITH MORRIS, II, 38, of Merom, Indiana, was sentenced to two years probation today by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce. As a special condition of probation, MORRIS was ordered to serve 11 months in a work release center. The case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The defendant conspired to steal router cards valued at more than $5,000 from Kentucky Data Link, a business that produces telecommunications fiber optic networks based in Evansville, Indiana. These cards were then transported out of Indiana for sale. The proceeds from the sale of the stolen router cards were divided between MORRIS and three other participants in the conspiracy, BRYAN M. BLACK, JAMES R. COLLINS and ANDREW RUSSELL STODDARD. BLACK, COLLINS were each sentenced to 9 months imprisonment, and STODDARD was sentenced to 2 years probation with 11 months to be served in a work release center. All three defendants were ordered to make restitution.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted the case for the government, MORRIS was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $445,200.