FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   CONTACT:  DAVID R. DUGAS                                                             

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2008   (225) 389-0443

WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAM  FAX:  (225) 389-0561

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

        BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today that two more Louisiana residents have been indicted and four more have been sentenced on fraud charges related to hurricane disaster relief programs.

        CHARLES P. JENKINS, JR., age 37, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and with making false and fraudulent statements to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.  If convicted, JENKINS faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count.

        KIALA T. LEE, age 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment with mail fraud (Counts One and Two) and with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits (Count Three).  The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.  If convicted on Counts One and Two, LEE faces a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, for each count.  If convicted on Count Two, LEE faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

        MARK A. JOHNSON, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on July 23, 2007, to Count One of an indictment charging him with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits.  JOHNSON was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to a term of imprisonment of three months and $8,016.80 in restitution.  After JOHNSON completes his term of imprisonment, he will be placed on supervised release for a period of three years.  The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. 

DENEATRICE D. CAGE, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 4, 2008, to Count One of an indictment charging her with mail fraud.  CAGE was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge James J. Brady to a term of probation of three years and $2,000.00 in restitution.  The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.

        LESLIE A. SMITH, age 31, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 18, 2007, to Count One of an indictment charging her with mail fraud.  SMITH was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph E. Tyson to a term of probation of three years and $4,358.00 in restitution.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.

        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 forty-five.

        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 <mailto: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.