Irvine man pleads guilty to stealing more than $400,000 from U.S. Army Reserves

A former U.S. Army Reserve employee from Orange County pleaded guilty Tuesday, April 9, to stealing more than $400,000 by billing the government for phony expenses.

Ramon Torry, 54, of Irvine, admitted to one count each of wire fraud and theft of government money during a court appearance Tuesday in San Jose, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Public Affairs.

The charges allege Torry conspired to commit fraud with a production company associate contracted to create a promotional video. The video was for the U.S. Army Reserve’s 63rd Regional Support Command at Moffet Field in Mountain View.

In February 2016, Torry began creating bogus invoices totaling $414,000.

The invoices were for training and services, related to the video but never actually performed, according to the release. After the money was paid out by the government, an associate of the production company redirected a portion back to the defendant.

Torry himself collected $300,000 in embezzled funds, according to prosecutors.

Torry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30.