Ryan S. Kent, 44, of Festus pleaded guilty to stealing $854,544.37 from a St. Louis pharmaceutical manufacturing facility where he worked at as a maintenance supervisor for more than four years. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9 in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, according to court documents.
Kent faces a sentence up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000, and he will be ordered to repay the money stolen from the company, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.
He pleaded guilty Aug. 3 to wire fraud, admitting to falsifying reimbursement documents that were transmitted from the St. Louis facility to the company’s headquarters in Peachtree City, Ga., the plea agreement said.
Kent worked at the St. Louis facility from July 2017 through October 2021 and was responsible for repairing broken equipment or buying new equipment. As part of his duties, he would be reimbursed after purchasing supplies and equipment for the facility and for any travel expenses he incurred while performing his duties, according to the agreement.
However, he doctored receipts to inflate the amount he spent for purchases he made with his debit and credit cards, and he falsified documents to be reimbursed for fictitious purchases and travel costs. He also purchased supplies at Home Depot, returned the items for a refund and submitted the receipts for reimbursement from the company, the agreement said.
Kent used the money to pay personal bills; cover the cost to upgrade his backyard; buy a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2021 Cadillac Escalade; and travel to Las Vegas to gamble, according to the agreement.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.