Des Moines man faces wire fraud charges

A 42-year-old Des Moines man faces big time behind bars for allegedly bilking dozens of Iowans and Missourians in an Internet fraud scheme. Byron Farrington is pleading not guilty to 36 charges of wire fraud. Matt Whitaker, the U.S. Attorney for Southern Iowa, says Farrington’s “Converge Now” business defrauded over 350 people in the Des Moines and St. Louis areas of 300-thousand dollars. Whitaker says Farrington collected fees for wireless Internet service, but never provided it. Farrington could serve up to 20 years on each of the 36 wire fraud charges and faces huge fines if convicted. His trial is scheduled for February.