MIDLAND, Texas — An Odessa business owner will be spending 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud-related charges.
James Clinton Fletcher, 45, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of willful failure to pay employee tax withholdings to the IRS.
Fletcher was the owner of San Jan Oilfield Services, LLC.
U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered Fletcher to pay $18,279,111 in restitution to his victims as well as $1,177,231 in restitution to the IRS.
He also ordered Fletcher to be placed on supervised release for three years following his release from prison.
Fletcher plead guilty on December 22, 2020 following an investigation by the IRS and the FBI.
Court documents show Fletcher admitted to scheming to defraud over two dozen people including family members, friends and business associates.He also admitted to failing to report and turn over around $378,000 in employee withholdings.
Fletcher reportedly used these funds to purchase a home in Odessa, a vacation home and multiples expensive vehicles as well as making trips to Vegas using a private plane.
“Today’s sentencing of James Clinton Fletcher, CEO of San Jan LLC, for both his conspiracy to commit wire fraud and his willful failure to pay over San Jan LLC’s employee withheld payroll taxes is a strong reminder that no matter your position or financial status, white collar financial and tax crimes are always serious offenses,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Goss of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office in a press release.
