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Date: 09-07-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 5:19-cr-50033-TLB
Judge: Timothy L. Brooks
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (Washington County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Fayetteville, AR: Wire fraud, aiding and abetting wire fraud, money laundering and aiding and abetting money laundering criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant, Jody Douglas Davis, age 46, from Searcy, Arkansas and Phillip Vincent Ridings, age 64, from North Little Rock, Arkansas, formed a limited liability company in Texas in 2014 called Dragonfly Industries International, LLC (“Dragonfly”) and Arkansas Wind Power (“AWP”), an Arkansas limited liability company located in Springdale, Arkansas, to develop what they told investors was a revolutionary wind turbine design that was to be installed on a 311-acre wind farm proposed for construction in Elm Springs, Arkansas.
Davis and Ridings conspired with Cody Fell of Springdale, Arkansas, and others, beginning as early as June 2014 and continuing through and including March 2018, to obtain money from investors who were told that the investors’ money would be used to build a prototype of the wind turbine and develop wind farms in Elm Springs, Arkansas, in Iowa, and other states. The evidence presented at trial showed that Davis and Ridings used most of the $700,000 they obtained from investors for Davis’ and Ridings’ personal use. Specifically, evidence at trial revealed that investors were told that Dragonfly’s wind turbine could produce more energy than the traditional three-blade wind turbines commonly used on existing wind farms; that nationally recognized engineering firms and a University of Memphis mechanical engineering professor had “validated” the Dragonfly wind turbine’s design; that the Department of Defense has expressed strong interest in acquiring Dragonfly’s wind turbines for use in combat zones; that a prototype of the wind turbine was nearing completion; that leaders of underdeveloped countries were ready to buy Dragonfly’s wind turbines; and that a $10 million grant from the Department of Energy was soon to be awarded to Dragonfly, when in truth and fact, none of these representations were true.
Cody Fell pled guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion in December 2018 and will be sentenced on September 17, 2021. A sentencing date for Davis and Ridings has not yet been scheduled.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyra Jenner and Kenneth Elser prosecuted the case.
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 WIRE FRAUD AND AIDING AND ABETTING WIRE FRAUD
(1)
18 U.S.C. § 1349 Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(1s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 Wire Fraud and Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud
(2s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2 ENGAGING IN MONETARY TRANSACTIONS IN PROPERTY DERIVED FROM SPECIFIED UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY AND AIDING AND ABETTING
(3-5)
18 U.S.C. § 1957 Money Laundering
(4s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 Wire Fraud and Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud
(5s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 WIRE FRAUD AND AIDING AND ABETTING WIRE FRAUD
(6-9)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2 Money Laundering
(6s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 Wire Fraud and Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud
(7s-8s)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2 Money Laundering
(9s)
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) LAUNDERING OF MONETARY INSTRUMENTS
(11)
Outcome: 09/03/2021 169 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Honorable Timothy L. Brooks: Jury Trial - Day 10 - as to Jody Douglas Davis and Phillip Vincent Ridings held on 9/3/2021. (Paula Barden-Court Reporter)(Proceedings held in Fayetteville-Room 509) (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 170 GOVERNMENT'S Exhibit List - Jury Trial held on August 23 - September 3, 2021. Original exhibits returned to counsel at the conclusion of the trial. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 171 DEFENDANT DAVIS'S Exhibit List - Jury Trial held on August 23 - September 3, 2021. Original exhibits returned to counsel at the conclusion of the trial. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 172 DEFENDANT RIDINGS'S Exhibit List - Jury Trial held on August 23 - September 3, 2021. Original exhibits returned to counsel at the conclusion of the trial. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 173 COURT'S EXHIBIT #7 - Jury Instructions (annotated). (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 174 COURT'S EXHIBIT #8 - Jury Instructions. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 175
THE DOCUMENT IS RESTRICTED TO COURT USERS.
Jury Consent to Contact as to Jody Douglas Davis and Phillip Vincent Ridings. NOTE: Contact with a juror is to be initiated by an attorney of record AND that an attorney of record be present and accountable as an officer of the court during any such contact if a juror consents to an investigator/paralegal participating in such contact. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 176 JURY VERDICT - UNREDACTED in case as to Jody Douglas Davis and Phillip Vincent Ridings.
THIS DOCUMENT IS FILED UNDER SEAL.
(slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 177 JURY VERDICT as to Jody Douglas Davis (1) Guilty on Counts 1s, 2s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s and Phillip Vincent Ridings (2) Guilty on Counts 1s, 2s, 3s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s. (slc) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
09/03/2021 178 ORDER AMENDING BOND CONDITIONS as to Jody Douglas Davis, Phillip Vincent Ridings. All other conditions of 15 and 21 bonds issued on June 5, 2019, shall remain in effect. (See Order for Specifics) Signed by Honorable Timothy L. Brooks on September 3, 2021. (cc via CM/ECF: U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Marshals Service) (lgd) (Entered: 09/03/2021)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: