BROWSNVILLE, Texas — Two ladies sentenced Wednesday following their convictions of conspiracy and committing $1.2 million in meals stamp fraud following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Safety Investigation (HSI) investigation labored collectively with the U.S. Division of Agriculture – Workplace of Inspector Normal (USDA OIG)
Ana Rioja, 51, of Brownsville and Maria Consuelo de Ureno, 55, a authorized everlasting resident dwelling in Brownsville had been sentenced March 9 by U.S. District Decide Rolando Olvera Jr. Decide Olvera sentenced Rioja to 30 months in federal jail to be adopted by one yr of supervised launch; whereas Ureno was sentenced to 37 months in federal jail to be adopted by a time period of three years of supervised launch. Ureno might face the lack of her authorized standing in america. Upon finishing her jail sentence, she can be positioned in removing proceedings.
In handing down the jail phrases, Decide Olvera ordered Rioja and Ureno to pay $975,401 and $1,284,282.15 in restitution, respectively. Each pleaded responsible Might 12, 2021, to conspiring to commit and committing Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) fraud.
Based on court docket paperwork, starting in February 2016, the investigation revealed Ureno, Rioja and different co-conspirators exchanged SNAP advantages for money through the use of a point-of-sale gadget at an area meat market Rioja owned. Moreover, authorities found Ureno and co-conspirators carried out fraudulent transactions at Sam’s Wholesale Membership. The investigation found 715 fraudulent transactions that had been linked to 83 distinctive SNAP profit recipients which conspirators redeemed for money or meals. Ureno’s fraudulent purchases totaled to roughly 49.1 tons of American cheese slices, 22.3 tons of pinto beans, 1.6 tons of Folgers espresso, 1.4 tons of prompt mashed potatoes and over 5,000 gallons of mayonnaise which she would promote to a companion and transport to Mexico. Between September 2014 and August 2019, each Rioja and Ureno carried out roughly $1.2 million in fraudulent transactions.
Ureno stays in custody pending switch to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Rioja was permitted to stay on bond and voluntarily give up at a date to be decided within the close to future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano and Jose A. Esquivel, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), answerable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly these felony organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure by which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 staff consists of greater than 7,100 particular brokers assigned to 220 cities all through america, and 80 abroad areas in 53 nations. HSI’s worldwide presence represents DHS’s largest investigative regulation enforcement presence overseas and one of many largest worldwide footprints in U.S. regulation enforcement.
