11 Oneida County Residents Arrested For Welfare Fraud
A joint investigation by the Oneida County District Attorney's Office and Department of Social Services had led to the arrest of 11 people for welfare fraud.
Those arrested are from Utica, Rome, Cleveland, New York, Clayville and Oriskany.
Charges include welfare fraud, grand larceny, misuse of food stamps and offering a false instrument for filing.
Here's a list of those arrested and the charges against them:
Audra Beckwith, age 51, Rome, N.Y., charged with one count of misuse of food stamps, a class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that Beckwith unlawfully purchased food items using the SNAP Benefit Card of another person.
Kealy Jaeger-Soullas, age 34, Cleveland, N.Y., charged with one count of welfare fraud in the third degree, a class D felony, and offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, a class E felony. It is alleged that Jaeger-Soullas filed four false recertifications for temporary assistance and SNAP benefits with the Oneida County Department of Social Services, and received $6,629.00 in benefits she wasn’t entitled to.
Zaneta Carter, age 43, Utica, N.Y., charged with one count of grand larceny in the third degree, a class D felony. It is alleged that Carter failed to notify the Oneida County Department of Social Services, in a timely manner, that she was receiving Unemployment Insurance Benefits, thus enabling her to receive $3,973.00 in Temporary Assistance and $567.00 in SNAP benefits she wasn’t entitled to.
Brett Nowlan, age 38 and Jennifer Nowlan, age 37, Clayville, N.Y., charged with one count of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a class E felony. It is alleged that the Nowlan’s failed to report income to the Oneida County Department of Social Services, in a timely manner, thus enabling them to receive $1,323.43 in Temporary Assistance they weren’t entitled to.
Christine Doing, age 42, Oriskany, N.Y., charged with one count of welfare fraud in the fourth degree, a class E felony and one count of offering a false instrument for filing, a class E felony. It is alleged that Doing failed to report income on a recertification to the Oneida County Department of Social Services, thus enabling her to receive $1613.00 in SNAP benefits she wasn’t entitled to.
Tahisha Goodman, age 49, Utica, N.Y., charged with one count of misuse of food stamps, a class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that Goodman used another person’s SNAP benefits in exchange for cash.
Latiqua Darby, age 24, Utica, N.Y., charged with one count of misuse of food stamps, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that Darby sold her SNAP Benefits to another person.
Evelyn Centeno and Priscilla Centeno – ages 51 and 29, Utica, N.Y., each charged with one count of welfare fraud in the fifth degree, a class A misdemeanor and one count of offering a false instrument for filing, a class D felony. It is alleged that Evelyn and Priscilla Centeno received Day Care benefits they were not entitled to during a period of time that Priscilla was unemployed.
Anthony Edwards - age 51, Utica, N.Y., charged with one count of welfare fraud in the third degree, and one count of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, both D felonies. It is alleged that Edwards filed two false NY State applications for child care assistance, thus enabling him to receive $6,068.06 in Day Care Assistance he wasn’t entitled to.