A West Virginia cemetery owner admitted accepting payments for grave markers, approving customers’ designs and then using the money for his personal benefit instead of completing the orders.
Federal court documents identify approximately 225 victims and more than $600,000 in unfulfilled orders connected to Jeffrey Phares, 65.
Phares pleaded guilty to wire fraud in March 2026. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 10 in federal court in Wheeling.
Customers Paid and Approved Their Grave Marker Designs
Phares owned and operated four cemeteries across North Central West Virginia, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
Customers paid for grave markers and received design approvals indicating that their orders were moving forward. Phares admitted accepting the payments and then misappropriating the money for personal use. Prosecutors said he repeatedly misled customers about why their grave markers had not been delivered.
Four Cemeteries Were Connected to the Orders
Phares operated Greenlawn Memorial Park in New Martinsville, Elkins Memorial Gardens in Elkins, Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery in Clarksburg and Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Jane Lew.
The government’s latest court filing places the number of affected customers at approximately 225 and the value of unfulfilled grave marker orders above $600,000.
When Phares entered his guilty plea in March, prosecutors estimated the total loss at between $250,000 and $550,000. The July sentencing announcement reported the higher unfulfilled-order figure after authorities continued reviewing customer records.
Phares Faces Sentencing in November
Phares pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on March 19, 2026. The FBI, Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office and Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting it.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey is scheduled to sentence Phares at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2026, in Wheeling.
Wire fraud carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison. The judge will determine Phares’ sentence after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Contracts Are Being Reviewed for Restitution
Phares agreed to pay restitution and provide the government with the records needed to determine how much he owes. The final restitution figure had not been set. Prosecutors said it would be calculated before sentencing.
Customers who already submitted contracts to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, U.S. Probation or West Virginia Attorney General’s Office do not need to resend them solely because the sentencing date has been announced. The Justice Department said those records have been received and are being reviewed.
A customer whose order may not yet be included should preserve the signed contract, payment receipt, canceled check or card statement, approved design, promised delivery date and every message concerning delays or refunds.
The U.S. Attorney’s Victim Witness Assistance Unit helps federal crime victims understand case notices, restitution and their rights during the criminal proceedings. Consumers can also submit purchase documents through the West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.