Marengo County men sentenced for theft of more than $1.2 million in building materials

Two Marengo County men have been sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy involving theft of more than $1.2 million in building materials.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, 40-year-old Bryan Keith Gracie of Demopolis and 35-year-old Ellis Tyrone Miller of Dixons Mills conspired with one another to steal building materials from a company in
Thomasville between June 2021 and March 2022.

Prosecutors say to carry out the conspiracy, Gracie and Miller coordinated to provide unique delivery and shipment numbers for legitimate orders, intended for the victim company’s customers, to people who were not authorized to accept the shipments.

After that, they say Gracie and Miller made false entries and reversals of information into the victim company’s database, which communicated with servers outside of Alabama. Gracie and Miller also signed fraudulent bills of lading for shipments of stolen building materials to unauthorized third-party trucking companies, prosecutors say.

Federal agents obtained numerous incriminating text messages between Gracie, a former employee of the victim company, and Miller, who worked at the company in a position of trust. During the conspiracy, Gracie and Miller facilitated at least 54 shipments of stolen products from the victim company to unauthorized third parties. The value of the stolen materials was at least $1,213,524.16.

U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Gracie to 27 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Gracie will serve a three-year term of supervised release, during which time he will be subject to credit restrictions and will be prohibited from being on or around the victim company’s property. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Gracie to pay $100 in special assessments and $1,213,524.16 in victim restitution, jointly and severally with Miller.

For his role in the scheme, Ellis was sentenced to 13 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock. Upon his release from prison, Miller will serve a three-year term of supervised release, during which time he will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Miller to pay $100 in special assessments and $1,213,524.16 in victim restitution, jointly and severally with Gracie.

There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement, with the FBI, the Thomasville Police Department and the Montgomery Police Department investigating the case.

— Information from the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Alabama