‘Butch’ Ballow, No Longer A Fugitive, Is Bound For Prison

Convicted money launderer Harris Dempsey “Butch” Ballow has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay more than $10 million in restitution to his victims. 

Indicted in 2003 for fraud and money laundering that centered on misrepresentations made in connection with the purchase and sale of stock, Ballow pleaded guilty to money laundering in November 2003 and faced a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment. At the time, Ballow, who had been in custody without bond for approximately a year, agreed to cooperate with an SEC investigation and was released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing on Dec. 16, 2004. Ballow fled the country, however. A warrant for Ballow’s arrest was issued the following day, Dec. 17, 2004.
 
After more than six years on the run, Ballow was arrested by Mexican authorities on July 13, 2010, in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, on a provisional warrant requested by the Southern District of Texas. Ballow was extradited by Mexico to the United States on April 8, 2011.
 
Ballow was sentenced to the maximum statutory prison term for the offense of conviction and further ordered him to pay restitution to the victims of his fraudulent stock scheme in the amount of $10,483,769.81. Ballow has been in custody without bond since his extradition from Mexico and will remain in custody to serve his sentence.
 
Ballow also is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and failure to appear for his sentencing pending in a separate indictment returned by a Houston grand jury in 2010. Those charges are pending.
 
Robin Harless Ballow (Ballow’s wife), Ruben Garza Perez, Kelly Lyn Boothe, and Jeffrey Janssen Anuth are also charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and harboring and concealing Ballow from arrest. Robin Ballow, Garza, Boothe, and Anuth are all fugitives.