The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on September 6, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, LOURDES KATHLEEN BENITEZ-FIELD, a 40-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. BENITEZ-FIELD was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: time served

Special Assessment: $100

Restitution: $74,162.10

Supervised Release: 3 years

BENITEZ-FIELD was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to fraudulent use or possession of an alien registration receipt card.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On August 8, 2007, at the Missoula County Office of Public Assistance in Missoula, BENITEZ-FIELD possessed an alien registration receipt card that had been forged, counterfeited, procured by fraud, or otherwise unlawfully obtained. The card, which bears a number ending in 712 was possessed by BENITEZ-FIELD in connection with an application submitted by her for food stamp and Medicaid benefits. The Immigration and Naturalization Service analyzed the number contained on the card and concluded that the alien registration number ending in 712 is not assigned to BENITEZ-FIELD and the card was therefore counterfeit.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BENITEZ-FIELD will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BENITEZ-FIELD does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

 

 

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