GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Scott County man was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on Monday for wire fraud.
According to the Department of Justice, 66-year-old Ralph Tackett was the treasurer of a church in Georgetown, where he stole a total of $512,042 through the commission of wire fraud.
Tackett confessed that from December 2015 until January 2019, he took money directly from the church, by transferring the funds to pay his personal credit cards.
Officials say that he issued checks in which he deposited into his personal and business accounts for his own benefit. He also transferred money in other ways to meet the needs of a third-party.
Through the three-and-a-half-year span, Tackett was able to hide the nature of the church's money as the treasurer from the pastor and board members.
As a result of Tackett's theft, the church sustained a financial struggle.
Tackett is ordered by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves to pay back the amount of money he stole, along with other costs the church found to have suffered of, which comes to a total of $532,807.46.
According to federal law, Tackett must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Once released, he will be on probation for three years.
The entire investigation was conducted by the FBI.
