A former Missouri mayor and fleet dispatcher was sentenced to federal prison for a scheme in which he stole nearly $300,000 from more than 500 truck drivers who worked for his employer.
Corey Louis Hendrickson, 46, a former mayor and alderman of Willard, a small city that is part of the Springfield metro area, was sentenced to three years in federal prison without the possibility of parole. He was also ordered to pay $298,737 in restitution.
Hendrickson, who lives in Springfield, pleaded guilty on Oct. 24 to conducting a five-year scheme in which he stole from drivers at Prime Inc., where he worked. He used his position to gain access to the ComData accounts of at least 500 drivers and conducted over 1,000 fraudulent transactions, according to a plea agreement.
Prime Inc., based in Springfield, has over 9,200 drivers primarily hauling general freight, metal and wood, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The company contracted with ComData to process fuel cost payments and maintain the accounts of Prime Inc. drivers.
Hendrickson, who served as mayor from 2015-2021 and was elected as an alderman the next year, used the names and social security numbers of drivers to embezzle the funds, court documents say. He sent money between Springfield and Brentwood, Tennessee, before later depositing the funds to his personal account. The scheme went on from 2016 through 2021.
Hendrickson sought former drivers with a positive balance and used their social security numbers to log in to obtain the money, court records say. He wrote checks to himself and also to TravelCenters of America from the drivers’ accounts, which he cashed and used for himself.
Victims’ losses ranged from less than $100 to nearly $6,500, the plea agreement says. Victims were located across the United States.
Prime Inc. did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the sentencing.