From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California FRESNO, Calif. — Kenneth Laitman aka John Rodman, 79, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 1984, Laitman left his job as a stockbroker in New York and moved to California where he assumed…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Fall River man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston for misuse of a Social Security number. Arias Mejia, 43, was indicted for misuse of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement in an application for…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a two-count superseding indictment charging Phil Henry Taylor (66, Homosassa) with forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and receipt of stolen government property. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 20…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Belchertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.    Kenneth Pontz, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release.  Restitution and…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maine BANGOR, Maine: A Woodville woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for Social Security fraud, health care fraud, and theft of public money. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker ordered Rella Austin-Kimball, 51, to pay $103,596.91 in restitution, consisting of $78,858.25 to the Social Security Administration (SSA),…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Dakota PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Fort Dodge, Iowa, man charged with Theft of Government Funds pleaded guilty to and was sentenced on December 18, 2023, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court. Clarence Soper, age 64, was sentenced…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey NEWARK, N.J. – An employee of an Essex County, New Jersey, bank was charged with fraudulently withdrawing federal retirement benefits from the account of a former customer who had died, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jorge Nova, 35, of Passaic, New Jersey, is charged…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Fall River man has been arrested on charges related to passport fraud and other offenses. Hector Eduardo Arias Mejia, 43, was charged with misuse of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft and making a false statement in an application for a United States…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Methuen woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to stealing Social Security benefits intended for her child.    Karen Silva-Brown, 57 pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who scheduled sentencing…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for using the identifying information of another person to apply for a driver’s license and United States passport.  Wilfrido Baez Villar, 49, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to…