U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
United States Attorney Jim Letten
Eastern District of Louisiana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             
JULY 19, 2007      

WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAE                                  

CONTACT: KATHY ENGLISH   
PHONE: (504) 680-3068 
FAX: (504) 589-4978

TWO MORE INDICTED, FOUR MORE SENTENCED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON DISASTER RELIEF FRAUD CHARGES

BATON ROUGE, LA - Two more Louisiana residents were indicted and four more were sentenced this week in federal court on charges of fraud related to hurricane disaster relief programs, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today.

ALVIN LEE JOHNSON, age 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with mail fraud (Count One) and with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits (Count Two). The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted on Count One, JOHNSON faces a maximum sentence of thirty years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. If convicted on Count Two, JOHNSON faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

TROY N. RANDOLPH, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with aiding and abetting mail fraud (Count One) and with illegal conversion of government property, that is, a check from the Federal Emergency Management Administration for expedited disaster assistance (Count Two). The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted on Count One, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of thirty years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. If convicted on Count Two, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

CHRISTOPHER M. HENDERSON, age 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 20, 2007, to Count One of an indictment charging him with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster relief benefits. HENDERSON was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola to three years probation and fifty hours of community service. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation of this matter.

BETTY R. MARTIN, age 41, of Port Allen, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 5, 2007, to Count One of an indictment charging her with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster relief benefits. MARTIN was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola to three years probation, $2,000 in restitution, and fifty hours of community service. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, and the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation of this matter.

ANTHONY PARKER, age 22, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 11, 2006, to Count One of an Indictment charging him with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster relief benefits. PARKER was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to three years probation and $4,000 in restitution. The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation of this matter.

JUANITA WADE, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 17, 2007, to a bill of information charging her with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster relief benefits. WADE was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to three years probation and $2,000 in restitution. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation of this matter.

Today's indictments bring the total number of individuals who have been charged in the Middle District of Louisiana with violations related to hurricane disaster relief funds to one hundred twenty-two.

In September 2005, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force - chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division - includes the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and others.

For further information, contact David R. Dugas, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, or Lyman Thornton, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, at (225) 389-0443. Anyone suspecting criminal activity involving disaster assistance programs can make an anonymous report by calling the toll-free Hurricane Relief Fraud Hotline, 1-866-720-5721, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice. Information can also be emailed to the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force at <mailto:HKFTF@leo.gov> HKFTF@leo.gov or sent by surface mail, with as many details as possible, to Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.