ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years probation on his conviction of conspiracy to defraud the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on John L. McDowell, 68.
According to information presented to the court, McDowell’s three co-defendants were engaged in food stamp fraud primarily involving exchanging food stamps for cash. John McDowell was enlisted to submit a fraudulent application for a food stamp license so that the food stamp terminals in use at the convenience stores owned and operated by two of the co-defendants would not be in their names. The defendants then used the food stamp terminals at locations where they were not authorized.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, the Erie Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McDowell.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
