POCATELLO - Leslie A. Briggs, 36, of Pocatello, Idaho, was sentenced today in United States District Court to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for theft of government property, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Briggs to pay restitution of $103,611.76. She pleaded guilty to the charge on March 28, 2013.
According to the plea agreement, Briggs was employed as assistant to the manager of the Aid for Friends Representative Payee Program, in which the Social Security Administration sends payments for beneficiaries to Aid for Friends. Aid for Friends then administers the funds and pays for the beneficiary’s personal expenses. According to the plea agreement, Briggs had signing authority on the Aid for Friends Social Security Administration trust account at Wells Fargo Bank, where all beneficiaries’ Social Security funds are deposited. Briggs admitted that from November 2008 to December 2010, she wrote checks on the trust account, without authorization, for personal expenses, including credit card bills, insurance and a home loan. Judge Winmill also stated during the sentencing that Briggs has two previous convictions for embezzlement.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations and the Pocatello Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
