BILLINGS — A Kansas man, Jory D. Parks, admitted to committing wire fraud in a scheme to steal from ranchers in Montana and Wyoming who were struggling to find hay for their livestock during a drought, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Parks, 43, of Logan, Kansas, pleaded guilty to the fraud charge and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. A sentencing date will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, and Parks has been released pending further proceedings.
Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Parks took advantage of the hay shortage caused by the 2021 drought by advertising on Facebook that he had hay for sale and could deliver to Montana and Wyoming from out of state. Operating under the name Heart Cross Ranch, LLC, Parks received money from customers but used it for personal expenses instead of delivering the promised hay.
In one instance, a ranching couple from Ingomar, Montana, signed a contract with Parks to purchase 190 tons of hay for $43,300, sending him a down payment of $21,650. Despite receiving a partial shipment of hay, Parks failed to deliver the rest of the order or refund the remaining down payment.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Parks had made false claims about his business, including an alleged deal to sell hay to a horse racing facility in Nebraska. The FBI confirmed that these statements were untrue after interviewing the CEO of the facility and reviewing Parks’ financial records.
