In the following press release it was announced that a 39-year-old Shorewood man pleaded guilty last week in federal court in connection with a scheme to defraud a mortgage company out of money. Kevin Ray Winkelmann pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud on Aug. 22 in Minneapolis. He entered his plea before United States District Court Judge Ann Montgomery. Winkelmann was charged July 22.

According to Winkelmann’s plea agreement, between Aug. 1, 2005, and Dec. 15, 2005, he conspired with others in a scheme to defraud GreenPoint Mortgage out of money, namely funds to purchase a home, by means of false representations. Specifically, Winkelmann falsely represented to GreenPoint that he was employed with verifiable income, when in fact he was not employed.

For the purpose of executing the scheme, Winkelmann caused to be delivered by commercial carrier documents sent to GreenPoint Mortgage, located in California. Winkelmann faces a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison. Judge Montgomery will determine his sentence at a future date. This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Genrich.