2 Men Sentenced To Federal Prison In Rhode Island Identity Fraud Cases

PROVIDENCE, RI — Two men were sentenced to federal prison sentences for pleading guilty to identity fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The first man, Jesus Matos Perez, 52, was sentenced to a year and a half for illegal entry, false representation of a Social Security number, health care fraud and wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a media release.

"According to court documents, Matos Perez used the stolen identities of two American citizens for approximately (10) years to fraudulently obtain approximately $75,000 of Medicaid, SNAP, and unemployment benefits," the release said.

The second man, William Jose Alejandro Arias Amador, 45, was sentenced to a year and a day for false representation of a Social Security number, health care fraud and wire fraud, according to the release.

"According to court documents, upon his release from the Adult Correctional Institution, Arias Amador, who had amassed a significant criminal history in the identity of a United States citizen, fraudulently obtained Medicaid and SNAP benefits using the stolen identity and Social Security number of the same individual," the release said.

“The message from these sentences is straightforward,” First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda said in the release.

“If you steal identities and exploit government programs for personal gain, we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and seek meaningful consequences," Calenda said. "Protecting the integrity of taxpayer-funded benefit programs from fraud remains a top priority of this office and the Department of Justice.”

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