Eric Riley and Britney Gooch, both residents of Mesa, Arizona, have been sentenced to prison for defrauding the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), which serves as the state’s Medicaid agency. U.S. District Judge Krissa M. Lanham handed down the sentences earlier this month in Phoenix.
Riley received a 24-month prison sentence on February 6, 2026. Gooch was sentenced to 12 months and one day on February 20, 2026. In addition to their prison terms, both individuals were ordered to pay $3.3 million in restitution to AHCCCS.
Both Riley and Gooch previously pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud charges. According to court documents, they operated New Horizons Behavioral Health, a clinic based in Mesa. Between 2020 and 2022, through their company, they submitted false claims for services that were not actually provided under AHCCCS’s American Indian Health Program (AIHP). This fraudulent activity resulted in them obtaining approximately $3.3 million from the program.
“This case is about protecting American taxpayers, restoring the public’s trust, and safeguarding critical health care resources for the communities that truly need them,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Working with our FBI and AHCCCS-OIG partners, we not only secured convictions in this case, but also maximized the recovery of stolen money through the $3.3 million restitution order.”
The investigation was conducted by FBI Phoenix with support from the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
