BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced that a Kansas man, Jory D. Parks, admitted to a fraud charge on Thursday for orchestrating a scheme to defraud Montana and Wyoming ranchers who were seeking hay for their livestock during a drought.
Parks, 43, from Logan, Kansas, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and could face up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. A sentencing date will be determined by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, and Parks was released pending further legal proceedings.
According to court documents, Parks took advantage of the hay shortages caused by a drought in the summer of 2021 by advertising on Facebook that he had large quantities of hay for sale and could deliver to Montana and Wyoming. Under his business name, Heart Cross Ranch, LLC, Parks received payments from ranchers in exchange for hay deliveries, but instead used the funds for personal expenses and failed to fulfill his promises.
One example highlighted in the court documents involved a couple from Ingomar, Montana, who paid Parks $21,650 as a down payment for 190 tons of hay, but only received 23 tons of hay and never received the rest or a refund.
