FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
March 19, 2012	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: 1:11-cr-00025-LJO

FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Keith Aaron Little, 47, of Tulare, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money and agreed to the forfeiture of any and all proceeds obtained as a result of such violation, including a personal forfeiture money judgment of $64,193.

According to the plea agreement, between 2004 and 2010, Little received more than $64,000 in Social Security benefits to which he was not entitled. He admitted that he had been named as the trustee for his aunt’s trust accounts and that he was appointed as her power of attorney. Social Security retirement benefits belonging to his aunt were deposited into one of the accounts for which Little was named as trustee. Instead of using the Social Security checks to pay for necessary living expenses and nursing home care for his aunt, he used the money for himself.

The case is the product of an investigation by the United States Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Tulare Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Thielhorn is prosecuting the case.

Little is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2012 by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill.
The maximum statutory penalty for the theft of government property charge is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release following incarceration. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

####

 

Return to Top