Clearfield Woman Charged with Mail, Wire Fraud and Identity Theft in Embezzlement Schemes Involving Two Employers

            SALT LAKE CITY - A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment late Wednesday afternoon charging Teri Ann Jarvis, aka Teri James, aka Teri Jaris, age 41, of Clearfield with mail and wire fraud in connection with embezzlement schemes involving two employers. She also faces one count of aggravated identify theft.

            The indictment alleges Jarvis embezzled approximately $885,657.56 from at least two employers and diverted the money for her own use.

            According to the indictment, Jarvis was an employee of Positive Power, LLC, from about October 2006 until around September 2013. Positive Power is based in Ogden and provides electrical contracting services. Jarvis’ duties at the company included assisting with the management of company bank accounts, credit cards, collectables, payables and other financial records. She was not authorized to sign checks or credit cards.

            Jarvis was an employee of Bronco Fence Company in Kaysville from about March 2014 through about October 2014. The company specializes in fence, deck, and railing construction. Jarvis’ responsibilities at Bronco Fence included assisting with the management of the office, coordinating with a merchant services company for payment processing, and making accounting entries.

            The indictment alleges that beginning around 2008 and continuing to September 2014, Jarvis devised a scheme to obtain money from her employers using a variety of means. The indictment alleges she forged Positive Power company checks made payable to herself, her mortgage company, to pay for a car loan, and to her personal credit card. According to the indictment, Jarvis attributed fictitious expenses to closed or terminated work orders to conceal her embezzlement from the company and to avoid detection.

            The indictment alleges that Jarvis used the alias Teri James in her employment application with Bronco fence to conceal her identity and avoid detection of her previous embezzlement from Positive Power.

            According to the indictment, Jarvis provided false refund information to the merchant services company used by Bronco Fence so that the merchant servicer processed the false refunds and transferred money to Jarvis’ personal bank account. The indictment alleges Jarvis offset the money she embezzled from Bronco Fence as “material expenses” in the company records.

            Jarvis altered company financial accounts to conceal her embezzlement of company funds from both of her employers.

            The indictment charges four counts of mail fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The potential maximum penalty for each count of wire and mail fraud is 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. The aggravated identity theft count carries a mandatory minimum two-year sentence.

            A summons will be issued to Jarvis to appear in federal court in Salt Lake City on the charges in the indictment. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged in an indictment are presumed innocent unless or until convicted of the charges in court.

            The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kaysville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City.