NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
August 26, 2008
NORTH CAROLINA MAN SENTENCED TO 42 MONTHS FOR VARIOUS FRAUD CONVICTIONS
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Jonathan Randall Frizzelle, age 57, of Raeford, North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Danville for his participation in a variety of fraudulent activities.
Frizzelle was charged in a four-count indictment in July 2007 with two counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of misusing a Social Security number. On May 8, 2008, the defendant entered a guilty plea on two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Yesterday in District Court, Frizzelle, a.k.a. “Johnny E. Frizzell” and “Johnny Frizzelle,” was sentenced to 42 months of Federal incarceration and five years of supervised release thereafter. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $63,178 and a special assessment of $300.
“Mr. Frizzelle deceived the Federal government and received money to which he was not entitled,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate, charge and prosecute all individuals who defraud the government and steal from the American people.”
According to court documents and evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Sharon Burnham, beginning In April of 1967 and continuing until June of 2004, Frizzelle applied for, and was issued, a number of Social Security cards containing at least two different Social Security numbers. These cards were used to secure employment beginning in 1967 and continuing until 2004.
In one instance beginning in 2006, Frizzelle worked at H&H Constructors earning as much as $1,650 per two-week pay period. The defendant secured employment by using a Social Security number that had been issued to his son.
In addition to using fraudulent Social Security numbers to gain employment, Frizzelle also used a variety of false Social Security numbers to obtain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The defendant used a different Social Security number with each agency and told officials from both the Social Security Administration and the VA that he was unable to work due to a medical condition.
Furthermore, neither agency knew the defendant was receiving benefits from the other, information that would have been used to determine the amount of money and benefits, if any, Frizzelle received each month.
On April 5, 2006 Frizzelle applied for a second mortgage on his home from Community National Bank in South Boston, Virginia. In the application, the defendant listed his monthly income from H&H constructors, earned under his son’s Social Security Number, and submitted a pay stub as proof of income. Frizzelle also stated that he received benefits from the VA and the Social Security Administration in the amount of $1,880 per month.
Frizzelle committed bank fraud when he attempted to defraud Community National Bank by trying to obtain monies while concealing the fact that some of the income and benefits he was receiving from the VA and Social Security Administration, and had listed on his loan application, were obtained under false and fraudulent circumstances.
In addition, Frizzelle committed aggravated identity theft when he used, without lawful authority, the Social Security Number of another individual, namely his son, during a felonious act.
One of the considerations in Frizzelle’s sentence was his previous history of fraudulent activity. In 2000, he pled guilty devising a scheme for obtaining money by submitting his own fake death certificates to banks and insurance companies, which it turn would cause the payment of insurance proceeds on his behalf. Frizzelle served 27 months in Federal prison for his previous offense.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Sharon Burnham prosecuted the case for the United States.