PRESS RELEASE: Central Texas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Motor Fuel Tax Fraud

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August 27, 2015

Central Texas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for
Motor Fuel Tax Fraud

(AUSTIN) — An investigation conducted by the Texas Comptroller’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) recently led to the arrest and conviction of a Gorman, Texas, man on two counts of motor fuel tax fraud.

An Eastland jury sentenced Rickey Wayne Speer, 42, to 40 years in prison for unlawfully acquiring and selling large amounts of dyed diesel fuel.

“When people break Texas tax laws, they are not cheating the state – they are cheating their fellow Texans,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “It is our responsibility to prosecute those offenders.”

With the assistance of Comptroller’s CID, Eastland County Criminal District Attorney Russ Thompson proved that Speer intentionally or knowingly transported motor fuel to a location without delivering documents relating to the shipment, and that Speer engaged in a motor fuel transaction without being licensed to do so as required by law.

Speer was tried as a habitual felony offender and faced a minimum of 25 years to life in prison as a result of previous felony convictions.

The Eastland and Comanche County Sheriffs' offices also assisted with this investigation.

The mission of the CID is to deter intentional criminal conduct against the state tax laws administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Go to the Comptroller’s website for more information about CID’s work.

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