BOISE – Paul Richard McLeod, 57, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Boise for receiving stolen government money, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge sentenced McLeod to serve one month in prison and five months of home confinement. Additionally, he will serve 60 hours of community service, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $35,782 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). McLeod pled guilty to the charge on January 9, 2012.

According to the plea agreement, from 2008 through July 2010, the VA paid monthly dependant compensation payments to McLeod's mother, the legal and sole beneficiary of the funds. During that time period, the payments were deposited into a joint account McLeod shared with his mother. VA records show that McLeod's mother passed away on June 4, 2008. From July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2010, the VA continued to pay monthly compensation payments, to which McLeod was not legally entitled, into the joint account. According to the plea agreement, McLeod admitted converting 26 dependant compensation payments for his personal use.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.