Furnas Sentenced to Prison for Lightning Rod Scheme

Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008

An 18-year old Wichita, Kansas man was sentenced to eight years in the State Penitentiary Monday, for his role in a lightning rod scheme. In December Jeramie Furnas plead guilty to one count of Grand Theft By Deception. Six years of the sentence will be suspended, provided Furnas pays fines and court costs of one-thousand dollars, and pays restitution to his three victims in the amount of 15,457 dollars. Among other conditions Furnas is required to have no contact with his victims.

Furnas traveled from home to home over the summer convincing residents to have their lightning rods replaced. Furnas pounded on the roof of homes to make it sound like he was completing the work. Furnas received two checks from a victim in Chester, one for over 6 thousand dollars and another for over 4 thousand dollars. As part of a joint plea deal with Kingsbury and Miner Counties, no other charges will be filed in the other counties.