RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) - A Vermont man who is imprisoned while facing state murder charges in the death of his wife has been sentenced to four years in prison on federal mail fraud charges that he defrauded his former employer of at least $452,000, prosecutors said.
Randall Swartz was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Rutland.
Swartz was working at the Agri-Mark Dairy Cooperative plant in Cabot. Starting in 2010, he had his employer order equipment used to concentrate maple syrup. He used it in his own maple syrup business on the side, prosecutors said.
Similar equipment is used in the cheese-making business, but Swartz had Agri-Mark buy equipment that was too small for cheese making, prosecutors said. Swartz sold the equipment to clients in his side maple syrup business while having Agri-Mark assemble and install the items on company time.
Swartz is currently in state custody awaiting trial on a first-degree murder charge for the 2018 shooting death of his wife, Thea Swartz, at their Orleans home. He pleaded not guilty in that case.
Swartz’s attorney in the federal case did not return a call Friday seeking comment.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.