Hudson man admits Web fraud
Published March 8th, 2006
A Hudson man admitted in U.S. District Court in Worcester yesterday that he had defrauded 27 people out of a total of $115,000 in online scams in 2003 and 2004.
Michael Deppe, 21, of Old Stow Road pleaded guilty to 10 counts of federal wire and mail fraud and will face trial next month on six more counts related to an Internet Super Bowl ticket scam.
In his orange jumpsuit, Deppe answered “guilty” so quickly after each of the charges was read aloud that the clerk barely had time to finish reading them.
Deppe faces up to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced on those charges after his trial in April.
Deppe defrauded one South Carolina man out of $17,600. Brian Bell, of Hilton Head, had agreed to buy four Rolex watches but never received the watches or his money back.
“It is about time that the scales of justice begin to turn in our favor,” Bell wrote yesterday in an e-mail when he learned of Deppe’s plea. “I will feel even better when I receive restitution as he stole nearly $18,000 from the mouths of my family.”
Deppe’s concern yesterday, however, was being released from jail in time for the birth of his first child, due April 18.
Deppe’s attorney, Stephen Rappaport, told Magistrate Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV that the birth of their first child “is something Mr. and Mrs. Deppe want very much to share.”
Rappaport argued for his client’s release on strict conditions, such as an electronic monitoring bracelet and no access to a computer, so he could be there for the family moment.
Rappaport also said if Deppe were to be released before the trial, he would be more likely to win his case. It is difficult to spend time preparing the case with Deppe while he is in jail, Rappaport said, and this is a “fairly complicated” case. Also, jurors are less sympathetic to defendants who are in custody during the trial, Rappaport said.
