A Beaver Falls resident has pleaded guilty in a federal court to theft of government property, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. Nicholas T. Grimes, aged 30, admitted to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on June 17, 2025.
The court was informed that after the death of a recipient of Title II Social Security benefits, Grimes began illegally withdrawing the deceased's retirement benefits from their account via ATM transactions. This activity started as early as 2014 and amounted to approximately $216,779 in stolen funds.
Judge Ranjan has set sentencing for September 29, 2025. The law stipulates a potential maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will depend on the seriousness of the offense and any prior criminal history Grimes may have.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is leading the prosecution against Grimes. The investigation was carried out by the Social Security Administration—Office of the Inspector General.
