Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
A Las Vegas man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison, along with three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) of at least $385,000 in unemployment benefits. United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva handed down the sentence on Thursday.
The court documents reveal that between August 15 and September 18, 2020, Emelio Vladimir Rochester, aged 28, conspired with co-defendant Joseph Holmes Jr. to obtain and use 17 EDD debit cards issued in the names of victims without their authorization. The scheme involved stealing personal identifying information to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The defendants then used the cards to withdraw funds from ATMs across Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, and Garden Grove in California.
During a traffic stop by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on September 18, 2020, Rochester and Holmes were found with 17 EDD debit cards, $89,710 in cash, several electronic devices, and all debit cards bore different names. The fraudulent activities saw at least $192,234.29 withdrawn from fraudulently approved claims totaling $385,000.
“Emelio Rochester filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself at the expense of a program intended to assist American workers struggling during an unprecedented pandemic,” stated Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “This sentencing underscores the commitment of the DOL-OIG and our law enforcement partners to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in DOL programs.”
Rochester pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft. Besides imprisonment, he has been ordered to pay $192,234 in restitution. His co-defendant, Holmes Jr., also pleaded guilty to similar charges and received a sentence of 54 months in prison.
The announcement of the sentencing was made by Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Heiden.
The DOL-OIG conducted the investigation, while Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn prosecuted. Citizens are encouraged to report suspected fraud or violations involving DOL programs through the OIG Hotline online Complaint Form or by calling 1-800-347-3756.
