WHEELING – A former developer convicted of defrauding investors out of more than $5 million in the course of several high-profile real estate maneuvers in Wheeling is scheduled for an early release from federal prison.

Jeffrey James Morris, 39, who once led the now defunct Roxby Development, was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison in September 2024. Morris had pleaded guilty earlier that year to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax fraud following a lengthy investigation into his dealings by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.

Although he has only served less than 17 months of federal incarceration since reporting to prison on Oct. 28, 2024 to begin a 60-month sentence, Morris is expected to be released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Lewisburg, Pa., to a halfway house in Western Pennsylvania in June of this year. Thereafter, he is scheduled to be released from custody on Sept. 1, 2027.

This week, one of the victims in the case – who wished to remain anonymous – received a notification from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons informing them that Morris had been approved for placement in a community corrections center – otherwise known as a halfway house – on June 30. The inmate was expected to be transferred from the Lewisburg correctional institution to a halfway house in the Pittsburgh area.

Emery Nelson, a representative of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Office of Public Affairs, confirmed that Morris is currently in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution Lewisburg and had a projected release date of Sept. 1, 2027.

Nelson noted that for privacy, safety and security reasons, the bureau does not share reasons for transfers or release plans. Per policy, if an inmate is transferred to a new location, specific information about this designation is not released until after an individual arrives at the new destination, Nelson noted.

However, Nelson explained that an inmate can earn up to 54 days of sentence imposed, assuming they maintain good conduct.

“Eligible inmates may be released up to 12 months early if they complete the BOP’s Residential Drug Abuse Program,” Nelson added. “They may also be released early via court orders, such as a compassionate release, reduction in sentence or clemency. Additionally, eligible inmates can earn 10-15 days per 30 days of programming that can be credited to early supervised and/or pre-released placement (a halfway house or home confinement). An inmate can apply up to 365 days of earned First Step Act (FSA) time credits towards early supervised release. Any and all remaining FSA time credits would go toward pre-release placement.”

Absent a change in court order, any inmate sentenced to pay restitution will be required to pay the imposed amount, regardless of how much good time or FSA time credits they earn, Nelson noted. As part of his sentence, Morris was ordered to pay $4,901,413.32 in restitution to investors and $526,476.58 in taxes, penalties and interest to the Internal Revenue Service.

Following Morris’ ultimate release from federal custody at the beginning of September of next year, he will be subject to three years of supervised release.

During his whirlwind stint as president of Roxby Development and its subsidiaries, Morris solicited financial support from investors both locally and at other locations in the country to fund major real estate purchases and ventures around Wheeling. In a short period of time, Roxby had acquired the Mount Carmel Monastery, the Scottish Rite Cathedral and the McClure House hotel.

Morris hired teams of employees for various ventures – including a COVID-19 testing subsidiary, public relations and historic renovations, and hired contractors to complete major renovations and improvements to the landmark facilities he had acquired around town.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Morris misrepresented how the money he was receiving from investors was going to be used. He provided forged documents, lied about the prospects of securing tax increment financing, lied to investors about having received approval for historic tax credits, and falsely claimed to be on the verge of securing bank financing to repay investors, according to the federal prosecutors, who said Morris made “Ponzi-style payments,” using one investor’s money to pay another instead of making improvements to real estate, as promised.

“Jeffrey Morris preyed upon his investors, his employees and upon the hope of Wheeling residents who believed that he was leading a downtown renaissance,” said then U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, who along with U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. “Morris was a master manipulator who left a trail of broken promises in his wake.”