On March 31, 2025, Brian Baker, aged 53 from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to all charges related to a wire fraud and money laundering scheme. This scheme was aimed at defrauding an automobile auction company in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His co-defendants, Stephanie Louise Baker, aged 54, also from Mount Juliet, and Jerry W. Hutchins, aged 50 from Dowelltown, Tennessee, had pled guilty the previous week.
The Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Robert E. McGuire, stated: “I commend the effort of the prosecutors from our office who are holding these thieves accountable for their crimes. We will continue to tirelessly seek justice for those affected by economic crimes here in our community.”
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Field Office for the IRS Criminal Investigation, highlighted their dedication to uncovering such crimes: “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling intricate financial transactions and money laundering schemes where individuals attempt to conceal the original source of their money. IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office, will vigorously pursue those individuals who willfully try to enrich themselves by fraudulent means.”
Joseph E. Carrico, the Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Nashville Field Office, remarked on the fraudulent actions of the defendants: “These defendants used fake transactions to operate a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to illegally enrich themselves. The FBI remains vigilant in the fight against fraud and will bring those who cheat and steal to justice.”
The charges against the defendants stem from a federal indictment returned in October 2023, which accused them of a wire fraud conspiracy and a money laundering conspiracy. Stephanie Baker, as General Manager of the Dealers Auto Auction Group’s Murfreesboro location from February 2017 to November 2018, along with Brian Baker and Jerry Hutchins, who each owned and operated used car dealerships, orchestrated fake transactions. These transactions made it appear that their businesses sold cars at the auction, garnering unauthorized funds.
The investigation revealed that this scheme defrauded Dealers Auto Auction Group of over $2 million. The defendants are scheduled for sentencing on September 11, 2025. They face significant prison time, with a potential 20 years for conspiracy charges, and 10 years for money laundering offenses. Additionally, the indictment includes a forfeiture allegation seeking property derived from these criminal acts. The amounts involved for each defendant are $2,041,170 for Stephanie Baker, $1,357,310 for Brian Baker, and $683,830 for Jerry Hutchins.
The investigation was led by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Suedekum and Nani M. Gilkerson are handling the prosecution.