Press Releases
LOCAL WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO KATRINA RELATED THEFT OF PUBLIC MONEY AND THEFT FROM AN EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN
September 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DIANE STAFFORD, age 52, a resident of Poydras, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann V. Lemmon to a two count Indictment which charged her with theft of public money and theft from an employee pension plan, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the factual basis, after Hurricane Katrina, STAFFORD and her friend eventually evacuated to Florida where the friend died on February 6, 2006. From the time of the friend’s death until approximately August, 2007, STAFFORD forged the deceased friend’s signature on veteran benefits checks and received a total of $12,010.
Additionally, STAFFORD was a joint account holder on her father’s checking account and admitted that she cashed and/or received her father’s pension checks totaling $5,151 from the Iron Workers Mid-South Pension Fund after the father’s death.
STAFFORD faces a possible maximum penalty of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three (3) years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00 for each count. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Evans and was investigated by the United States Department of Labor and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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