May.15, 2010, 4:17:54 AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Thom V. Randle, 66, of Chico, pleaded guilty today to computer fraud and money laundering in connection with his theft of $693,000 from the Columbian Retirement Home (CRH), and laundering the proceeds to conceal his criminal activity.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the IRS – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robin R. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

According to the plea agreement, Randle served as vice president of finance for CRH, which operated a retirement home in Marysville. Randle admitted in court that between September 2004 and September 2005 he used the Internet to open bank accounts for CRH without authorization. On multiple occasions, Randle transferred funds from these accounts into other bank accounts he controlled. He admitted to using stolen funds to pay personal expenses.

Randle faces up to 10 years in prison for the money laundering offense, and up five years in prison for the computer fraud offense, with fines up to twice the value of the victims' losses. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.