Barbara Robicheaux was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Lafayette, LA, to 5 years probation; ordered to pay SBA $121,000, FEMA $8,211, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) $798 in restitution; directed to remit $294 in monthly supervision costs for 5 years; and fined $15,000 for her earlier guilty plea to making false claims. Robicheaux applied for and received SBA, FEMA, and USDA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through the Louisiana Road Home program for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not her residence during Hurricane Rita.
Mario LeLeaux was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 12 months probation and ordered to pay MDA $35,413, FEMA $16,712, and USDA $792 in restitution for his earlier guilty plea to making false claims, theft of government funds, and food stamp fraud. LeLeaux applied for and received FEMA and USDA disaster assistance and CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not his primary residence.
Debra Savage was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 6 months home confinement with electronic monitoring and 60 months supervised release and ordered to perform 60 hours of community service and pay the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) $39,616 and FEMA $17,182 in restitution for
and CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not her primary residence.
Pamelia Conroy was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 21months confinement and 36 months supervised probation and ordered to perform 70 hours of community service and pay FEMA $22,815 in restitution for her earlier guilty plea to making false statements, filing false claims, and theft of government funds. Conroy applied for and received FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain USDA, SBA, and $100,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not her primary residence.
Vincent Pempeit was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 3 years probation and 6 months home confinement with electronic monitoring and ordered to pay FEMA $9,558 in restitution for his earlier guilty plea to making false statements and filing false claims. Pempeit applied for and received FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not his primary residence.
Copyright, 2007. The Sun Herald - Biloxi, MS. Reprinted with permission.
William and Deane Palmer were each sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport,
MS, for their earlier guilty pleas to making false statements and filing false claims.
William Palmer was sentenced to 18 months incarceration and 3 years supervised release, ordered to pay FEMA $6,706 and SBA $47,078 in restitution, and fined $4,000. Deane Palmer was sentenced to 36 months probation, ordered to pay the above restitution jointly and severally with her husband, and fined $600. William and Deane Palmer applied for and received $56,706 in FEMA and SBA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $68,780 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not their primary residence.
Christina Moses was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 6 months home confinement and 5 years probation and ordered to perform 70 hours of community service and pay FEMA $24,337 in restitution for her earlier guilty plea to making false statements and filing false claims. Moses applied for and received FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not her primary residence.
Joseph Pugh was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 12 months and 1 day incarceration and 36 months supervised release, ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and pay FEMA $8,000 and SBA $10,156 in restitution, and fined $3,000 for his earlier guilty plea to making false statements and theft of government funds. Pugh applied for and received FEMA and SBA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not his primary residence.
Dominic Leperi, Jr., was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to 5 months incarceration, 5 months home confinement, and 24 months supervised release and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and pay FEMA $24,634 in restitution for his earlier guilty plea to making false statements and filing false claims. Leperi applied for and received FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $64,503 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not his primary residence.
Catherine Pruitt pled guilty in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, to making false statements and mail fraud. Pruitt applied for and received $4,358 in FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $100,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not her primary residence.
Doris Wilkerson was indicted in U.S. District Court, Jackson, MS, for making false statements, filing false claims, theft of government funds, and wire fraud. Wilkerson allegedly applied for and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but
Lee Taylor was convicted in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, of making false statements, theft of government funds, and wire fraud. Taylor applied for and received $25,841 in FEMA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $150,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but Taylor did not own or occupy the property during Hurricane Katrina.
Annette and Roger Williams were each indicted in U.S. District Court, Gulfport, MS, for making false statements, filing false claims, theft of government funds, committing fraud in connection with a government loan, and civil forfeiture. Annette and Roger Williams allegedly applied for and received $17,814 in FEMA, $80,600 in SBA, and $13,667 in USDA disaster assistance and attempted to obtain $4,219 in CDBG disaster recovery funds through MDA for hurricane-damaged residential property, but the property damaged was not their residence during the storm.
Copyright, 2008. The Sun Herald - Biloxi, MS. Reprinted with
permission.