BURLINGTON — A former Quechee resident who was convicted of defrauding Upper Valley businesses has had his federal prison sentence delayed a fourth time following a positive COVID-19 test, according to court documents.
Ryan Wall, who has yet to serve any time following his June 2020 sentencing, already received three delays from a federal judge over worries that he could contract the coronavirus in prison.
In an order dated July 2, U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Crawford granted a motion filed by Wall’s attorney requesting an extension on the date Wall is supposed to turn himself in at FPC Montgomery, a federal prison in Alabama, on fraud charges.
Rather than going to prison on Thursday as planned, the judge’s order allows Wall to wait until Aug. 17 to turn himself in in order to give him time to recover and also become fully vaccinated, according to a copy of the motion.
Wall, who now resides in Florida, pleaded guilty in December 2019 to one count of wire fraud for defrauding clients at Twin State Business Services, the West Lebanon-based payroll and tax preparation business where he worked.
According to authorities, he stole a combined $1.2 million from 35 clients — many of them longtime Upper Valley businesses — over the course of six years while heading up the company’s payroll services.
He was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to turn himself in to authorities in September.
Since then, his attorney David McColgin has filed three motions, all of which were approved, to push back Wall’s sentencing date over concerns that he could contract the COVID-19 virus in prison.
In the fourth motion, however, McColgin argued that Wall, who has received the first of two doses needed for the COVID-19 vaccine, tested positive for the virus last Friday.
“It is in the best interests of both Mr. Wall and the (Federal Bureau of Prisons) that his self-surrender date be continued until after he has recovered from COVID-19 so that he will not spread the virus to other inmates and BOP staff,” McColgin wrote in the motion, which was unopposed by federal prosecutors.
McColgin included a copy of the positive test results, in which doctors suggest Wall isolate himself for 10 days to prevent spreading the virus.
He also argued that Wall has been on good behavior since his sentencing over a year ago.
“Considering Mr. Wall’s model performance while out on conditions of release and his ongoing payments of restitution, there is no urgency regarding his surrender date,” McColgin wrote.
Calls to Wall and his attorneys were not returned Tuesday.
In addition to the over four-year prison sentence, Wall was ordered to pay $600,000 in restitution to 20 different victims.
Since his sentencing, Wall has repaid $15,500, less than 3% of what he owes, with his most recent payment in October 2020, according to court documents.
In a sentencing memorandum filed in June 2020, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples argued that Wall has “a significant, positive monthly cash flow,” working as a design consultant since 2019 and making $80,000 a year.
It’s unclear if Wall still holds the design consulting job.
Anna Merriman can be reached at amerriman@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.