14 Inland Empire residents indicted in federal sweep
A federal grand jury has indicted 14 Inland Empire residents in a sweep of people accused of stealing government benefits or lying on passport applications, federal prosecutors said.
Federal officials said Thursday that over the last two weeks, 13 indictments -- including one that charges two people -- have been issued.
Eleven of the 14 who were indicted are charged with theft of government property, allegedly taking and spending government benefits to which they weren’t entitled -- including cases in which the person took payments issued to dead relatives, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Allegations also include lying about identities, Social Security numbers, military service or employment or marital status, prosecutors said.
The three others were charged with making false statements to the State Department in applying for a passport. They were accused of lying about their identities, dates and places of birth and Social Security numbers, prosecutors said.
The 11 people accused of stealing government property over $1,000 are: Audrey Owens, 60, of Upland; Sarah Rose, 57, of San Bernardino; Michele King, 42, of San Bernardino; James Cramer, 78, of Banning; Wilma Welsh, 82, of Perris; Zandria Rhone, 61, of Riverside; Thomas Fothergill, 73, of Perris; Martin Munoz Villa, 42, of Riverside; Josie Lee Anderson, 64, of San Bernardino; Walton Monagan, 70, of Hemet; and Editha Pagdilao, 66, of Redlands.
Those accused of passport fraud are Nelida Alcauter, 36, of Temecula; Maria Altemose, whose age was not disclosed by authorities, of Temecula; and Angela Alicia Sanker, 56, of San Bernardino.
Anderson, who is charged with theft of government property also faces charges for submitting a false statement to a government agency.
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Twitter: @rar
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