SALEM WOMAN SENTENCED AS A RESULT OF AN
INTERNET AUCTION FRAUD

Boston, MA... A Salem woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court for mail fraud and wire fraud charges.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England, announced that JESSICA BUDD, age 28, of Salem, was sentenced yesterday for two counts each of mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341 and wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 by U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to three months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, including a one year in-patient drug treatment program. She was also ordered to pay $16,920 in restitution, and $400 in special assessments.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that from on or about September 2003 through July 2004, BUDD, working with her husband and co-defendant (who is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date), sold numerous items through the Internet auction site eBay. Among the items sold or attempted to be sold by BUDD and her husband, were stolen marine radar equipment and other stolen high end marine electronics. Moreover, the evidence would have shown that BUDD’s husband burglarized a locker where he obtained some of the stolen items.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Salem Police Department. It was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth P. Berman of Sullivan’s Computer Crimes Unit.

Press Contact: Christina DiIorio-Sterling, (617) 748-313