Monroe woman sentenced to 12 months in prison for stealing more than $135,000 in social security funds

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Monroe woman was sentenced Monday to 12 months in prison for illegally taking more than $135,000 in Social Security payments that were for her mother who had died.

Rhonda Eiland, 51, of Monroe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James on one count of theft of government property. She was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $135,740 restitution. According to the March 5, 2015 guilty plea, Eiland started receiving Social Security Administration payments on her mother’s behalf in 1999. Eiland’s mother died in March of 2002, and Eiland failed to notify the Social Security Administration. The payments continued until April of 2014. Additionally, Eiland completed Social Security paperwork stating that her mother was alive in order to continue receiving payments. She received $135,740 that she was not entitled to.
 

The Social Security Administration investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney F. Michael O’Mara prosecuted the case.