Zachary T. Lee Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
The final defendant in a 17-member conspiracy involving fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims has pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Virginia. Jason Dale Worley, 47, from Meadowview, Virginia, admitted to filing a fraudulent claim for pandemic unemployment benefits and is scheduled for sentencing on August 29, 2025.
Earlier this month, Crystal Shaw received a 60-month federal prison sentence for her role as one of the lead organizers of the scheme. Shaw was also ordered to pay $287,459 in restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission.
Other individuals previously sentenced include Christopher Webb (20 months), Russell Stiltner (24 months), Jessica Lester (19 months), Cara Camille Bailey (19 months), Justin Meadows (18 months), Terrence Vilacha (18 months), Joseph Hass (27 months), Daniel Horton (21 months), Brian Addair (24 months). Stephanie Amber Barton, Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe, Clinton Michael Altizer, and Jeramy Blake Farmer each received sentences of 12 months and one day.
Jonathan Webb was sentenced to 48 months for recruiting others to file false claims and must pay $150,218 in restitution. Josef Brown received a 35-month sentence with an order to repay $119,660.
Court documents reveal that between March 2020 and September 2021, Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Shaw orchestrated a plan using personal identification information from inmates at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon along with their acquaintances. This information facilitated fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits totaling $341,205.
The investigation was part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force led by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC's mission involves identifying significant risks across programs and agencies related to COVID-19 spending exceeding $5 trillion. The United States Department of Labor reports that Virginia paid about $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims from April 2020 through March 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee announced the sentences alongside Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division; Syreeta Scott from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General; and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
Assisting agencies included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Virginia Employment Commission.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen along with Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are handling prosecution duties on behalf of the United States government.
