Vivina Barnwell of Dade City was sentenced on Apr. 6 to two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr., following Barnwell's guilty plea on May 16, 2025.
Barnwell was also ordered to pay more than $96,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration after using her missing son's disability benefits for personal use.
According to court documents, Barnwell’s adult son, P.C., received Social Security disability benefits before he went missing in 2016 and has not been found since then. Although she reported his disappearance to local police, Barnwell did not inform the Social Security Administration and continued accessing his benefit payments through his debit card.
"The intentional deception perpetrated against the Social Security Administration in this case constitutes theft of taxpayers’ dollars," said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. "Such fraud will not be tolerated against our federal programs." Norman Jenkins, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Atlanta Field Division for the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), said: "Stealing Social Security benefits intended for another is an egregious betrayal of trust. Ms. Barnwell’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to holding accountable those who exploit SSA programs for personal gain." Jenkins added that law enforcement partners will continue efforts "to protect beneficiaries and ensure that funds meant to support disabled individuals are used for their care and well-being."
The Department of Justice stated that these efforts align with President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud—a government-wide initiative led by Vice President J.D. Vance—to address fraud within federal benefit programs.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the New Port Richey Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
