Shelburne Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Mail Fraud, Money Laundering, and Making a False Statement

The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Matthew Senator Melvin, 36, of Shelburne, was sentenced Thursday in United States District Court in Rutland to 18 months of imprisonment following his guilty pleas to charges of Mail Fraud, Money Laundering, and Making a False Statement. United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Melvin pay more than $11,000 in restitution, as well as a $5,500 fine. The government is seeking an additional money forfeiture. Melvin will serve three years of supervised release following the completion of his prison sentence. Melvin has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his March 2017 arrest.

Melvin pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with Mail Fraud and Money Laundering, among other crimes. Melvin was originally released on conditions in connection with this prosecution. However, court records indicate that in February 2017 he made a series of false statements to the United States Probation office, resulting in an additional Indictment, to which Melvin also pleaded guilty, charging him with making a false statement. Court records indicate that Melvin engaged in a scheme to defraud employers by seeking and obtaining employment by the use of false or stolen identities, and that he laundered part of the proceeds of this crime by withdrawing them from one bank and depositing them into an account at another financial institution.

This was Melvin's first federal felony conviction. He had previously been convicted of various offenses by the State of Vermont.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, as well as the United States Secret Service.

Melvin is represented by Paul Volk. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher.