Knoxville Resident Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Melissa Eula May, 44, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on February 25, 2019, to an information charging her with wire fraud. Sentencing has been set for 10:00 a.m., July 18, 2019, in United States District Court in Knoxville.

In conjunction with her guilty plea, May, a former employee of the Oliver Spring Housing Authority, admitted to using credit cards issued by her employer for her own personal expenditures. She further admitted that from January 2015 through April 2017, she made fraudulent transactions totaling $149,440.02.

May faces a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of all assets illicitly purchased, and the obligation to pay restitution to the Oliver Springs Housing Authority.

This conviction was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; Tennessee Department of Revenue;  and, Oliver Springs Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr., represented the United States.