THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100553
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Metro Briefs
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
A man who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to participating in a telephone solicitation scam that ripped off about 200 customers for $138,000 was sentenced Wednesday to 11 months in federal prison.
Steven H. Wroten pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud earlier this year. He and two other men, Gus John Boogades and Gerald A. Parady, were indicted by a federal grand jury in March. The three were partners in a telemarketing company, Colonial Distributing Inc., records show.
Employees of the company called victims in seven states - Louisiana, Florida, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Missouri, West Virginia and Ohio - but not Virginia. Each victim lost $298 to $998, records show.
The callers sold health and beauty packages, imprinted pens, drink holders, calendars, key chains and a ``Say No to Drugs'' package with bumper stickers and anti-drug merchandise. The customers were promised cash awards or bonus prizes, but never received them.
Boogades, the company's owner, was convicted in May in U.S. District Court on 16 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He will be sentenced Aug. 15. Parady has also pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
KEYWORDS: TELEPHONE FRAUD TELEPHONE SOLICITATION CONVICTION SENTENCE
by CNB