53 Charged in Food Stamp Fraud Investigation

Warrants for the arrests of more than 50 people were issued and the massive criminal round up began at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. Fifty three people were charged with a total of 78 charges, including social welfare fraud, a 3rd degree felony, and a number of other charges related to narcotics.

In January 2012, undercover officers approached their administration regarding the large numbers of Electonic Balance Transfer (EBT) cards they were finding at various residences during drug busts. Officers stated that between three and four to as many as 10 to 15 EBT cards were found at homes that did not belong to those residing in the homes.

An investigation uncovered that drug dealers were purchasing the EBT cards from whom they had been issued, for 50 cents on the dollar or less. In addition to the drug dealers, it also come to light that some area store owners were also finding ways to use the EBT cards to their advantage.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office in conjunction with the Bradenton Police Department, Florida Department of Financial Services, the US Department of Agriculture and Homeland Security worked together on the first bust of its kind in the area.

Targeting both individuals as well as store owners and managers, undercover operatives were given EBT cards issued in ficticious names by social services agencies, which they offered for sale at 50 percent or less, than the value of the card. During the exchange, the undercover officers also asked that when the person was done using the value on the card, that they return it to them, so they could get their benefits again the following month, all but one of those charged returned the card to the undercover officers.

"I want to commend the deputies, the officers, the detectives and the Federal agents that worked on this case," said Bradenton Police Chief Mike Radzilowski. Radzilowski considered this a prime example of how local law enforcement agencies work together to fight a common cause.

Authorities say that 45 of the 53 people charged had been booked into the county jail by mid afternoon Tuesday. Most were charged with social welfare fraud and depending on their previous criminal records, they could be looking at a substantial amount of prison time.

According to Sheriff Brad Steube, some management and owners of  local "mom and pop" foodstores, were purchasing the EBT cards from their customers for the same 50 cents on the dollar. They would then go to big box stores, like Walmart, and buy items in bulk to sell at their own stores at an increased price, essentially stocking their own shelves for half of the price, then reselling the merchandise for more profit.

Jeff O'Connor, resident agent for Homeland Security, has been involved with similar cases in the past and said that these individuals and businesses contribute to what amounts to millions of dollars in food stamp fraud annually on a nationwide basis.

EBT card use was implemented in all 50 states by 2004 and was originally started to replace paper food stamps in the hopes of curbing fraudulant use. Each card comes with a personal identification number (PIN) which is supposed to keep the instances of fraud down.

Shop owners are not under any legal obligation when it comes to accepting EBT cards and often do not even look at the card, assuming if the person making the purchase knows the PIN, everything must be alright, in many cases, it is not.

Those charged are: Last Name, First Name, DOB

Soto Sagrado, Armando 11/27/1973

Won, Chang 4/2/1952

Lawrence, Courtney 2/3/1989

Hird, Gregory 12/17/1959

Hird, Lisa 7/30/1970

Kloss, Candi 9/25/1978

Tippett, Frank 5/28/1974

Lima Rodriguez, Olivia 2/1/1973

Agustin, Sandra 7/8/1983

Portillo, Gloria 1/12/1963

Lugo Velazquez, William 5/5/1979

Bishop, Amber 7/29/1987

Bishop, Jeremy 5/19/1987

Mobley Jr., Benny 2/2/1987

Windmon, Robin 11/30/1988

Johnson, Collier 8/1/1957

Lopez, Lana 7/11/1975

Salgado-Martinez, Cuauhtemoc 3/13/1979

Green, John 7/31/1952

Peoples, Jaufees 11/16/1958

Mitchell, Carbwell 12/10/1946

Mack, Shirley 9/7/1951

Jennings, Mary 12/24/1945

Garrick, Beverly 3/16/1961

Morales, Gustavo 6/10/1969

Randall, Hubert 10/22/1949

Rivera, Angel 2/19/1973

Jones, George 2/1/1988

Hamilton, Destyne 10/9/1968

Thompson, Clifton 3/21/1951

Ingram, Victoria 5/10/1950

Ilfra, Kerline 4/9/1980

Avila Lagos, Ana 4/18/1957

Pagan, Pedro 12/21/1945

Mitchell, Lisa 11/13/1963

Alam, Masood 6/1/1978

Walker, Christopher 1/11/1990

Sams, Thomas 11/7/1955

Patel, Vikesh 1/31/1985

Wilburn, Lonnie 7/10/1961

Shaw, Brenda 4/23/1956

Sanchez-Flores, Gaspar 1/6/1969

Conley, Harrison, 12/16/1991

Pompey, Charles 2/24/1951

Stackhouse, Sasha 3/7/1989