Three Baton Rouge residents have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in schemes related to health care fraud and pandemic assistance fraud. U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Kevan Andre Hills, 32, to 96 months; Devin Tyrone Stampley, Jr., 33, to 104 months; and Asia Deshan Guess, 28, to 24 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, the three individuals submitted fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances such as Promethazine with Codeine and Hydrocodone using stolen identities of licensed medical professionals. The fraudulent prescriptions led Medicaid to be billed improperly. They used Drug Enforcement Administration registration numbers and other identifying information from physicians without authorization. As part of these activities, Stampley also burglarized a pharmacy in Louisiana.
The group was also involved in submitting false applications for federal funds under programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, and CARES Act unemployment benefits. In total, they sought at least $293,498 through falsified bank statements and tax forms supporting the PPP applications. They obtained at least $87,663 by posing as fake small business owners or residents needing assistance.
Asia Deshan Guess specifically sought at least $125,978 in federal funds by submitting fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) under the CARES Act. She submitted false information about her employment history and residency to agencies including the Louisiana Workforce Commission and Maine Department of Labor. Guess fraudulently received at least $15,859 in unemployment insurance benefits from these agencies.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Kristen L. Craig prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Gary A. Crosby II and Samantha E. Usher from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
"The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program," according to the press release. "Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion." The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are working with HHS-OIG on provider accountability efforts related to health care fraud schemes.
More details about national efforts against health care fraud can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Anyone with information about pandemic-related fraud is encouraged to contact the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or submit a report online via www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
