“These numbers reflect the hard work of OIG Bureau of Fraud Prevention and Prosecution investigators acting to save taxpayer dollars and ensure that these benefits are available to those Pennsylvanians who truly need them,” Acting Inspector General Tyrone Powell said.
The following individuals were prosecuted between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30, 2016, for fraudulently receiving public assistance benefits:
- Christine Schwartz, 42, of Pottsville in Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,812 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
- Bettyann Harmer, 45, of Minersville in Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,385 in cash assistance and $3,389 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months and SNAP benefits for 12 months.
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• Tarra Hathaway, 40, of Perkasie in Bucks County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $40,243.90 in subsidized day care benefits. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs and fees. She also was disqualified from receiving subsidized day care benefits for six months.
• Norma Santiago, 38,of Erie in Erie County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $8,393 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. She was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Christopher Garcia, 28, of Middletown in Dauphin County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,086 in SNAP benefits. He was sentenced to six months of probation and 75 hours of community service and ordered to pay court costs and a $300 fine. Restitution has been paid in full. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Dorrell Mainer, 55, of Brooklyn, NY, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $5,719 in SNAP benefits in Monroe County. She was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Ashley Morgan, 42, of Avoca in Luzerne County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,423 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution and $1,634 in court fees. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Dawn M. Watkins, 44, of Littlestown in Adams County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,263 in SNAP benefits. She was ordered to pay restitution, court costs and a $50 fine. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Patricia Messerly, 54, of Warfordsburg in Fulton County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,505 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution, a $50 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Melissa Sanders, 31, of Shippensburg in Cumberland County, pleaded no contest to fraudulently obtaining $5,917 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution, a $100 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Stacey Johnson, 40, of Verona in Allegheny County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,595 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• April West, 43, of Industry in Beaver County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,705 in cash assistance, $8,538 in SNAP benefits and $6,474.10 in medical assistance. She was sentenced to 24 months of intermediate punishment and 12 months on work release and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months and SNAP benefits for 24 months.
• Tracy Torres, 41, of Tobyhanna in Monroe County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,469 in SNAP benefits.She was ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Stacey J. Lasher, 37, of Brockway in Jefferson County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $6,369 in SNAP benefits and $964 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefits. She was sentenced to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution, plus a $100 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Maureen Zeno, 59, of Mount Joy in Lancaster County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,451 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Kristin Marcotte, 34, of Nazareth in Northampton County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,253 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Subrina Tomcho, 27, of Hanover Township in Luzerne County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,072 in SNAP benefits. She was ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Shawn M. Connatser, 35, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,142 in SNAP benefits. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8. He is disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Lisa Davies, 53, of Houtzdale in Clearfield County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,555 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution, a $100 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Amber Walker, 37, of Albion in Crawford County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,400 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 18 months in an intermediate punishment program -- including one month to be served under house arrest -- and community service, and ordered to pay restitution, a $200 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Joseph Price, 45, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,512 in SNAP benefits. He was sentenced to 12 months in an intermediate punishment program -- the first three months to be served under house arrest -- and 50 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution, a $200 fine and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Norma Santiago, 38, of Erie in Erie County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $18,822 in subsidized day care. She was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving subsidized day care benefits for six months.
• Homer S. Rice Jr., 47, of McAllisterville in Juniata County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $654 in SNAP benefits and $1,043.40 in medical assistance. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Holly Barrett, 40, of York in York County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,532 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Kelly Sechrist, 36, of Robesonia in Lebanon County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $5,435 in SNAP benefits. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2017. She is disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 24 months.
• Wendy Shoop, 55, of Halifax in Dauphin County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,993 in SNAP benefits. Restitution was paid. She was ordered to pay court costs within 30 days. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 24 months.
• Heather Proper, 31, of Saegertown in Crawford County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $22,139 in SNAP benefits and $27,876.65 in subsidized day care. Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 6, 2017. She is disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months and subsidized day care for six months.
• Janet Brittain, 70, of Jamestown in Crawford County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $8,207 in SNAP benefits, $3,469.20 in LIHEAP benefits and $7,470.60 in medical assistance. She was sentenced to 18 months of intermediate punishment, 15 days in county jail, 30 days under house arrest with electronic monitoring and community service, and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• William Calvin, 57, of Jamestown in Crawford County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $8,207 in SNAP benefits, $3,469.20 in LIHEAP benefits and $7,470.60 in medical assistance. He was sentenced to serve a minimum of one month and a maximum of 23 months and 29 days in county jail and ordered to pay restitution, a $500 fine and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Calandra Dixon, 29, of Erie in Erie County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $10,657.88 in subsidized day care. She was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving subsidized day care benefits for six months.
• Jonathan Whiteman, 26, of Cambridge Springs in Erie County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $776 in SNAP benefits. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution, a $300 fine and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Lori Rice, 38, of Conneautville in Crawford County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $16,791 in SNAP benefits and $2,971.94 in LIHEAP benefits. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2017. Restitution has been paid in full. She is disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Jesse Linn, 33, of Carlisle in Cumberland County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $17,075.90 in subsidized day care benefits. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2017. He is disqualified from receiving subsidized day care benefits for six months.
• Robin Brown, 38, of Erie in Erie County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $9,821 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 2 ½ years of probation and 25 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Lia Love, 25, of Chester in Delaware County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $4,439.15 in cash assistance and $522 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to five years of probation and 40 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months and SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Tiffany Youngblood, 28, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $3,557 in subsidized day care, $806 in cash assistance and $3,224 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the subsidized day care benefits case. She also was disqualified from receiving subsidized day care benefits for six months. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the cash assistance and SNAP benefits case. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months and SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Paul J. Brown, 51, of Tobyhanna in Monroe County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,289 in SNAP benefits. He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• April Smith, 26, of Chester in Delaware County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,858 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Becky Hall, 44, of Bristol in Bucks County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,582 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Nickolas Carpenter, 26, of Altoona in Blair County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $712 in SNAP benefits. He was ordered to pay restitution and court costs. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Matt Hartman Sr., 36, of Halifax in Dauphin County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2,142 in SNAP benefits. Restitution has been paid in full. He was ordered to pay court costs within 30 days. He also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Pamela Rose, 33, of Johnstown in Cambria County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,815.93 in cash assistance. She was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution, a $100 fine and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months.
• Magdalene Bucciarelli, 31, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,480.10 in cash assistance and $1,711 in SNAP benefits. She was ordered to pay restitution. She also was disqualified from receiving cash assistance for six months and SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Leniece Brown, 51, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $970 in SNAP benefits. She was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. She also was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.
• Robert Uphold, 51, of Carmichaels in Greene County, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1,823 in SNAP benefits. He was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and court costs. He also is disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for 12 months.