Alabama A.G. King Announces 25-Count Felony Conviction In Coffee County Welfare Fraud Case

May 16, 2007 -- (MONTGOMERY) — Alabama Attorney General Troy King today announced the conviction of a Coffee County woman for 25 felony counts involving theft of $11,611 in welfare benefits and possession of forged documents, including a forgery of the probate judge's signature. Judy Calhoun Thomas, also known as Judie A. Thomas, of Elba, pleaded guilty on May 14 in Coffee County Circuit Court. She was sentenced to 32 months of imprisonment, which was suspended, and ordered to serve three years on probation and to pay full restitution to the State of Alabama.

Thomas was convicted of first-degree theft of EBT (electronic benefit transfer) or food stamp benefits from April 2000 through September 2005 in the amount of $11,611 through misrepresentations about her household. These misrepresentations included false claims that her great-nephew lived with her and that she was the boy's guardian. Additionally, she was convicted for 23 counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, involving documents that she filed with the Department of Human Resources, which contained the forged signatures of several individuals, including a document with a forgery of the signature of Probate Judge William O. Gammill. Thomas also was convicted for first-degree identity theft, by using identifying information without the consent of the victim—her great-nephew—to obtain goods or services greater than $500.

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"In her scheme to steal welfare benefits, this defendant stole the identity of a child within her family, she provided forged information in the name of the child's mother and even submitted a falsified guardianship form with a forgery of the probate judge's signature," said Attorney General King. "Such crimes against the State and against her innocent victims will not be tolerated. The Attorney General's Welfare Fraud Unit is committed to vigorously investigate and prosecute to stop theft of welfare benefits, to hold criminals to account, and to return stolen funds to the State of Alabama."

During the court hearing where Thomas admitted her guilt, Assistant Attorney General Ferris Stephens described how Thomas committed her crimes:

Thomas submitted forged statements to DHR which purported to be from a woman falsely identified as Thomas' daughter, but who actually is her niece and is the mother of the child whose identity Thomas used to steal the money. The forged statements falsely claimed that the child was living with Thomas, that Thomas was the child's grandmother and his guardian, and that the mother was paying child support to Thomas. Among the other forged documents was a form Thomas created that was purported to be a government form giving Thomas guardianship of the child, with a forged signature of Coffee County Probate Judge Gammill. In addition, Thomas went to a federal Social Security office and fraudulently obtained a replacement Social Security card for the child, claiming that she was his guardian and that his card had been lost.

The crimes were uncovered after the child's mother had been notified that her son was eligible for free school lunches as a food stamp recipient, and she contacted DHR about the error. The mother later reviewed the signatures provided to DHR by Thomas in her name, said they were forgeries, and that her son had lived with her since birth and never been out of her household. Probate Judge Gammill provided investigators with a sworn statement that the form provided by Thomas to DHR was not a form of his office, that the signature was not his, and that there was no record of any court proceedings involving the child.

Attorney General King commended Assistant Attorney General Ferris Stephens and Special Investigator Larry Chambers for their work in handling this case. Attorney General King also thanked the Department of Human Resources for its assistance in preparing information and referring the matter to the Attorney General's Office for review and appropriate action, noting in particular Brandon Hardin, director, Coffee County Department of Human Resources; Debbie Jones, food stamp supervisor, Coffee County DHR; and Deborah Maloy, former caseworker, Coffee County DHR.

These cases are part of a continuing statewide effort by Attorney General King to aggressively investigate and prosecute welfare fraud. Prosecutions are pending in about 34 counties, including Houston, Dale and Pike counties.

Source: Alabama Attorney General