U.S. Attorney’s Office obtains judgment for fraudulent transfer of funds

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming operates a Financial Litigation Program (FLP) which enforces fines and restitution resulting from criminal convictions in federal court. Recent developments in a case from 2010 led the U.S. District Court to enter a civil judgment in U.S. v. Metcalf et al. against Dustie R. Metcalf to void fraudulent transfers of money she had been receiving for several years from a federal criminal defendant, David Saunders.

According to court documents, Mr. Saunders was found guilty in 2010 of making a false statement on a bank loan application. In addition to a term of supervised probation, Mr. Saunders was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $185,992.40. Since that conviction, Mr. Saunders has actively avoided paying his financial obligations and has, instead, been transferring his assets to Ms. Metcalf in an attempt to avoid collection. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jasmine Peters the (FLP) Coordinator for the District of Wyoming, conducted an extensive investigation into Mr. Saunders and Ms. Metcalf. That investigation revealed substantial sums of money fraudulently transferred to Ms. Metcalf, including approximately $3,000 a week under the guise of self‑described “child support,” and multiple other transfer of funds ranging from $5,000 to $75,000 since at least 2019.

“These transfers were done with the clear intent to render Mr. Saunders insolvent and avoid paying his court ordered restitution. As a result of the outstanding work of AUSA Peters securing the civil judgment against Ms. Metcalf, the FLP anticipates collecting the restitution owed by Mr. Saunders, but now from Ms. Metcalf,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher.

For more information about the FLP, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/civil-division.