FEMA Fraud - ONE MORE SENTENCED AND FOUR MORE INDICTED

ONE MORE SENTENCED AND FOUR MORE INDICTED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM

BATON ROUGE, LA - One more Louisiana resident was sentenced in federal court, and four more individuals have been indicted, on charges of fraud related to hurricane disaster relief programs, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced.

EDWIN L. FRANKLIN, age 26, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 31, 2006, to an indictment charging him with one count of making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and one count of making false statements. FRANKLIN was sentenced on April 3, 2008, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to sixteen (16) months in prison and $9,553.76 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office.

On April 2, 2008, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging MARLON D. RANDOLPH, age 32, of Baton Rouge, with one count of mail fraud and one count of illegal theft or conversion of government property, both in connection with a fraudulent claim for Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance benefits. The charges against RANDOLPH resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted of mail fraud, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. If convicted of theft of government property, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

A federal grand jury also returned indictments on April 2, 2008, against KIMBERLY N. ST. CYR, age 23, and ANGELA M. JARVIS, age 27, both of Baton Rouge. Each is charged with mail fraud and the illegal use of a Social Security number. The indictments allege that both individuals filed false and fraudulent applications for Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance benefits, using fictitious New Orleans addresses and Social Security numbers that had not been assigned to them by the Social Security Administration. If convicted of mail fraud, ST. CYR and JARVIS each face a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. If convicted of illegal use of a Social Security number, each face a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Finally, LAKEISHA L. ATKINS, age 24, of Baton Rouge, was charged in a three-count indictment with two counts of making false statements and one count of wire fraud in connection with disaster assistance benefits fraud. ATKINS is charged with making false and fraudulent statements and representations to FEMA in connection with an application for disaster assistance. ATKINS is also charged with fraudulently claiming and receiving disaster unemployment assistance benefits that the U.S. Department of Labor and the Louisiana Department of Labor made available to individuals who became unemployed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. ATKINS faces up to five years imprisonment on each of the false statements counts, and up to twenty years imprisonment for wire fraud.

The charges against ST. CYR, JARVIS, and ATKINS resulted from a multi-agency investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General.

Last week'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 forty 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 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.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE United States Attorney Donald W. Washington Middle District of Louisiana United States Courthouse • 300 Fannin Street, Suite 3201 • Shreveport, Louisiana 71101-3068 • (318) 676-3600 United States Courthouse • 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2200 • Lafayette, Louisiana 70501-7206 • (337) 262-6618
For Immediate Release April 8, 2008 http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/law		Contact: Donald W. Washington (337-262-6618) William J. Flanagan (318-676-3600)
FEMA Fraud - ONE MORE SENTENCED AND FOUR MORE INDICTED ONE MORE SENTENCED AND FOUR MORE INDICTED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM BATON ROUGE, LA - One more Louisiana resident was sentenced in federal court, and four more individuals have been indicted, on charges of fraud related to hurricane disaster relief programs, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced. EDWIN L. FRANKLIN, age 26, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 31, 2006, to an indictment charging him with one count of making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and one count of making false statements. FRANKLIN was sentenced on April 3, 2008, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to sixteen (16) months in prison and $9,553.76 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office. On April 2, 2008, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging MARLON D. RANDOLPH, age 32, of Baton Rouge, with one count of mail fraud and one count of illegal theft or conversion of government property, both in connection with a fraudulent claim for Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance benefits. The charges against RANDOLPH resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted of mail fraud, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. If convicted of theft of government property, RANDOLPH faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. A federal grand jury also returned indictments on April 2, 2008, against KIMBERLY N. ST. CYR, age 23, and ANGELA M. JARVIS, age 27, both of Baton Rouge. Each is charged with mail fraud and the illegal use of a Social Security number. The indictments allege that both individuals filed false and fraudulent applications for Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance benefits, using fictitious New Orleans addresses and Social Security numbers that had not been assigned to them by the Social Security Administration. If convicted of mail fraud, ST. CYR and JARVIS each face a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. If convicted of illegal use of a Social Security number, each face a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. Finally, LAKEISHA L. ATKINS, age 24, of Baton Rouge, was charged in a three-count indictment with two counts of making false statements and one count of wire fraud in connection with disaster assistance benefits fraud. ATKINS is charged with making false and fraudulent statements and representations to FEMA in connection with an application for disaster assistance. ATKINS is also charged with fraudulently claiming and receiving disaster unemployment assistance benefits that the U.S. Department of Labor and the Louisiana Department of Labor made available to individuals who became unemployed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. ATKINS faces up to five years imprisonment on each of the false statements counts, and up to twenty years imprisonment for wire fraud. The charges against ST. CYR, JARVIS, and ATKINS resulted from a multi-agency investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General. Last week'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 forty 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 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.