Area farmer pleads guilty to fraud

A New Madrid County farmer pleaded guilty to two counts of federal crop-insurance fraud, one count of theft of government property and one count of wire fraud Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau.

Bobby David Lowrey, 48, of Parma, Missouri, placed farms in other people's names to obtain federal crop-insurance payments.

The investigation, conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture, found Lowrey made false statements to the USDA and Federal Crop Insurance Corp. and obtained $240,000 worth of crop-insurance indemnities and subsidies from 2007 through 2012.

Lowrey owned and operated businesses in Parma, including Bobby David Lowrey Farms, Lowrey and Lowrey Inc., John Radin Farms and Kathy Ellsworth Farms, according to court documents.

Lowrey also transmitted a statement by wire his employees were on a temporary layoff, but they still were working and being paid. There were $60,000 worth of unemployment insurance benefits being paid to employees they were not eligible to receive.

Sentencing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 16. Lowrey could face five to 30 years in prison and fines up to $1 million.

Pertinent address: 599 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.