Crime & Safety
Worcester Man Used Identity Of Dead Person To Obtain SNAP Benefits: USAO
The man, who was not named by the USAO, was accused of living in Massachusetts under the identity of a deceased U.S. citizen since 2001.
WORCESTER, MA — A man living in Worcester used the identity of a deceased person to obtain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts.
A 57-year-old man from the Dominican Republic, who was believed to be unlawfully living in the U.S., was charged with illegally getting SNAP benefits and false representation of a Social Security number.
The man, who was not named by the USAO, was accused of living in Massachusetts under the identity of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico since at least 2001. The deceased citizen had died in 2006, according to charging documents.
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Officials said the man fraudulently obtained Massachusetts identification cards and a Social Security card under the deceased citizen's identity.
The man, whom the USAO called "John Doe," has criminal convictions in Massachusetts under the dead resident's identity, which include assault and drug convictions.
Find out what's happening in Worcesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In September 2012, Doe was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and trafficking cocaine. He was sentenced to state prison for at least 19 years, according to the USAO.
After being released from prison in January 2022, Doe used the stolen identity to apply for SNAP benefits. The charging documents said that the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance employee who reviewed the application wrote, "Death match ??? – reviewing with suoervisor [sic]” — indicating that the Social Security number that Doe gave corresponded with a dead person.
However, the application was still approved by the Massachusetts DTA. From Apr. 2022 to Feb. 2026, he obtained approximately $12,623 in SNAP benefits under a stolen identity.
He was arrested on Apr. 2 and remains detained following a first appearance in federal court in Worcester. He is now facing at least 25 years in prison, with multiple years of supervised release and fines of up to $250,000 for each charge.
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