Man sentenced after stealing more than $2 million from employer, fleeing to Utah

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison this week for wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.

Jody Russell Trapp, 58, was a bookkeeper for Shelton Machinery in Fishers between July 2009 and December 2011, according to court documents.

Court documents allege Trapp stole more than $2.2 million from Shelton Machinery. He did so by diverting checks made payable to one of the company's suppliers into his bank account.

The journey for a guilty verdict and sentencing for Trapp was lengthy.

After being arrested in January 2012, Trapp pleaded guilty in November 2012.

The change of please and sentencing hearing was scheduled for March 7, 2013. Trapp was ordered to home detention in the time between November 2012 and March 2013.

Just prior to the sentencing hearing, Trapp disappeared only to be found living in Utah under another name, Abram Hochstelter, and working as an electrician for Chipping Electric.

Trapp was arrested in October 2021 and pleaded guilty to federal charges in Indiana on July 19, 2022.

Following his prison term, Trapp will serve three years of probation.