Brendyn Andrew, 34, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a series of charges related to fraud and identity theft. The charges stem from a 10-count superseding indictment that included SNAP benefits fraud, possession of unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and witness tampering.
The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region; and David Richeson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Washington Field Office.
A grand jury first indicted Andrew in February 2025 on counts including aggravated identity theft and theft of government property. In May 2025, additional charges were added through a superseding indictment: possessing more than 15 unauthorized access devices, passport fraud, and tampering with a witness or informant. Dominique Collins of Stafford, Virginia was also named as a co-defendant for witness tampering and is scheduled for trial in April 2026.
According to facts presented during the plea hearing, between February and June 2021 Andrew used an online system managed by the Department of Human Services to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits using other people's identities. He obtained EBT cards under those names.
In October 2022 law enforcement officers found Andrew with over 15 EBT cards belonging to others while executing a search warrant. Then in February 2024 he submitted a U.S. passport application under another person's name using their social security number without authorization and obtained the passport for personal use. While detained at Chesapeake Detention Facility in Baltimore in March 2025 on his original indictment, Andrew asked Collins via phone to delete an email account so it could not be used as evidence.
Andrew faces several sentences: a mandatory minimum two years for aggravated identity theft (to run consecutively), up to five years each for SNAP fraud and misuse of a social security number; up to ten years each for government property theft and possession of unauthorized access devices; up to fifteen years for passport fraud; and up to twenty years for witness tampering.
U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked USDA-OIG and DSS agents involved in the investigation as well as Montgomery County Police Department’s investigative team and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For further information about reporting fraud or about priorities of the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office visit www.justice.gov/usao-md or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
