Rapid City Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of federal Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion charges was sentenced on July 9, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Brent Bednarz, age 44, was sentenced to 9 years and 7 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,050,238.64 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on the Bank Fraud charge.  Bednarz was also sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $490,873.00 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on the Tax Evasion charge, with the prison time to run concurrent.

The conviction stems from Bednarz managing the former Rapid Motors used car dealership in Rapid City, and thereafter stealing over one million dollars from the business’s owner.  At the same time, Bednarz failed to pay federal income on his earnings and on the additional money he stole.         

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg S. Peterman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.