Office of the Inspector General, SSA
Social Security Administration
Maine Man Gets 27 Months in Prison for Stealing Disability Benefits
BANGOR — A Washington County man was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison on one charge each of theft of Social Security disability benefits and making false statements to obtain those benefits.
Anthony Wayne Dinsmore, 51, of Columbia Falls also was ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration for benefits he was not entitled to receive from September 2006 to March 2009.
In addition to prison time, U.S. District Judge John Woodcock sentenced Dinsmore to three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.
In March , Woodcock found Dinsmore guilty of the theft charge after a two-day jury-waived trial. The Columbia Falls man falsely claimed that he was living alone when he actually resided with his wife, according to court documents. His wife’s income would have disqualified him from receiving benefits.
Before the trial, Dinsmore pleaded guilty to the making false statements charge.
Woodcock allowed Dinsmore to remain free on personal recognizance bail while awaiting sentencing. Dinsmore agreed a month after the trial to be held without bail until his sentencing. He was selling his prescription painkillers rather than taking them himself, according to court documents.
The time he has been in jail awaiting sentencing is expected to be credited toward his sentence.
Since his arrest in October 2011 on the charges, Dinsmore has had four court-appointed attorneys.
Dinsmore faced up to 10 years in prison on the conviction of theft of Social Security benefits. He faced up to five years in prison on the making a false statement charge. On each count, Dinsmore could have been fined up to $250,000.
