Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Joplin, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for fraudulently receiving (or applying for) federal disaster benefits following the tornado that struck the city of Joplin on May 22, 2011, killing 158 people and causing more than $2.9 billion in damage.
Dustin Joe Showalter, 36, of Joplin, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charge contained in a Feb. 25, 2014, federal indictment.
By pleading guilty today, Showalter admitted that he committed disaster fraud by making false statements to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in an application for disaster benefits.
Showalter fraudulently received disaster benefits by claiming to have lived at a residence in Joplin at the time of the May 22, 2011, tornado, when in fact he did not live at that residence. On the basis of his application to FEMA, Showalter received $938 to which he was not entitled.
Under federal statutes, Showalter is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
2 comments:
well lets see how much time he gets for stealing 1000 bucks.The lawyer whitworth only got 22 months for stealing half a million from real people.
That is true but he only stole from the people. This guy stole from the Govt. Probably get the full sentence.
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