Attorney Gets 8 Months For Pocketing Rent From Dead Client's Condo After Knowingly Failing To Locate Deceased's Heirs

From the Office of the U.S. Attorney (Louisville, Kentucky):

• David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announces that Ronald Snyder, age 71, of Fisherville, Kentucky was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of Supervised Release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,000 and a $5,000 fine.

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• In the Information and Plea Agreement, Snyder admitted that from March 2, 1998 until August 2009 he fraudulently and illegally exercised dominion and control over a condominium [in] Louisville, Kentucky. The condominium was owned by R.C. until his death on March 2, 1998. Following R.C.'s death, Snyder knowingly failed to locate the heirs of R.C. or cede control of the condominium to the state of Kentucky. Instead, Snyder rented out the condominium and kept the rental payments for his own benefit. The value of the condominium as of the 2006 appraisal was $91,060. Snyder received at least $15,000 in rental payments during this period.

Source: Louisville Attorney Sentenced To 8 Months Imprisonment (Ronald Snyder sentenced for stealing condominium of a deceased man).

(1) Because the rental payments were sent by U.S. mail from the tenants to Snyder, the Feds had jursidiction over this case and enabled them to secure a conviction on one count of mail fraud.