News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
Peter F. Neronha
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island

June 21 , 2010

HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDER PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO STEALING PATIENT’S IDENTITY & MONEY

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Fall River, Mass., home health care provider pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence Monday to stealing the identity of a patient in her care and stealing nearly $36,000 from his bank account. Juliet Rose Levesque and a cousin, Paul McKenzie of Rex, Georgia, were indicted by a federal grand jury June 10 on charges of conspiracy, identity fraud, bank fraud and wire fraud.

Levesque entered a not guilty plea before U.S District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and was released on $10,000 unsecured bond. An arraignment date for McKenzie has not yet been scheduled.

A 32-count indictment alleges that Levesque, who was providing in-home nursing services to the victim in his Bristol home, and her cousin conspired to steal the victim’s identification and to electronically steal funds from his Rhode Island bank account. The thefts took place between April 2009 and August 2009. 

If convicted, the defendants face the potential of maximum penalties of 30 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release on each count of wire fraud; 30 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised on the charge of bank fraud; 15 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release on the charge of identity fraud; and 5 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release on the charge of conspiracy.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis M. Matos.

The matter was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office; Bristol Police; and the Clayton County, Georgia Police Department.