SHELTON, CT — A former Shelton man was sentenced Monday to nine months in federal prison for a computer-related scheme which targeted a funeral business.
U.S. District Court Judge Victor A. Bolden imposed the sentence on Billie Conley Jr., 47, during a proceeding in New Haven. Conley pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June.
After Conley serves the sentence, he will be on supervised release for three years, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Federal prosecutors said Conley owned and operated the Shelton-based Ridgefield Tech, LLC, which offered information technology consulting services.
In 2023, the owner of a funeral services business hired Conley to set up a computer network and video surveillance system.
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, when Conley installed the funeral business' computer network, he also installed, without authorization, software which allowed him to remotely access the network.
Shortly afterward, the funeral business began experiencing a variety of service issues that required the owner to contract with Conley to resolve problems for a fee, prosecutors said.
Conley offered the owner an "IT Service Agreement" that would allow Ridgefield Tech to provide computer services to the funeral business on a monthly basis beginning in February 2024 in lieu of a "pay per service call" type of service, but the owner declined, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Conley also remotely disabled the business' computer network on 21 days, preventing it from doing business on those days, prosecutors said.
The funeral business' owner ultimately had to hire and pay another company to resolve the computer network issues.
"The investigation also revealed that, between June and August 2024, Conley unlawfully used (the funeral business') bank account to make approximately $9,070 in payments to companies he and Ridgefield Tech owed money," the U.S. Attorney's office said.
Bolden will order Conley to make restitution after additional court proceedings.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj Patel, in a pre-sentencing memorandum, described Conley as a "financial predator who preys on others, including his customers, for financial benefit."
"Over the past two decades, he has engaged in an undeterred pattern of criminal conduct that includes larceny, forgery, and identity theft, often based on conduct involving his computer skills, similar to his conduct in this case," Patel wrote, in the memorandum.
Assistant Federal Defender Allison N. Kahl, who represents Conley, noted in a defense pre-sentencing memorandum that her client recognizes the harm he caused, has taken responsibility, and is "deeply sorry."
Conley is currently in state custody on unrelated charges, including larceny, and he is due to be released from state prison in September 2027.
"Incarcerated and in state custody, Billie has focused solely on his rehabilitation, reentry, and making amends for his actions," Kahl wrote, in the memorandum. "Billie is someone who has had to do a lot of self-reflection since his federal arrest. He has put in the work so far to demonstrate his acceptance of responsibility and rehabilitation. He needs to address his past and continue to grow from it."
Read more:
Man Steals $62k from Trumbull Resident: PD
Woodbridge Man Accused of Using Computer-Repair Business to Steal from Customers
Man Arrested for Charging $5K to Darienite's Card
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Shelton Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.