United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS MORE IN FEMA FRAUD SCHEME

Ringleader is Fugitive - USPIS Requests Public’s Help in Locating

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that a federal grand jury in Dallas returned an 11-count superseding indictment charging 10 Dallas and Jackson, Mississippi, area residents, with various offenses related to their role in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fraud scheme.

In addition, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is requesting the public’s assistance in locating the group’s ringleader, defendant Lakietha Hall. The USPIS has issued a “Wanted Poster” that will be circulated throughout the area. Hall is identified as 5' 4", 135 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair and her last known residences are 731 Jadewood Drive in Dallas and 600 Briar Oaks Court in Arlington, TX. Her date of birth is 10/7/70. The USPIS requests that if you have information concerning this person, please contact the Postal Inspector in Charge, Fort Worth Division, telephone number 817.359.2711 or the nearest U.S. Postal Inspector.

The superseding indictment charges the following 10 defendants, many of whom are related, each with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of federal public money.

• Lakietha Diann Hall, age 35, of Dallas, Texas
• Carolyn Lynn Evans, age 40, of Mayersville, Mississippi
• Carl Lynn Green, age 40, of Mayersville, Mississippi
• Glen Alfred Jones, age 41, of Dallas
• Emma Theresa Hall, age 61, of Dallas
• Milton Evans, a/k/a “Milton Evans, Sr.” and “Preacher,” age 61, of Mayersville, Mississippi
• Reginald Derrell Hall, age 39, of Dallas, Texas
• Grace Mae Green, a/k/a “Gracie Green,” age 64, of Mayersville, Mississippi
• Timothy Green, a/k/a “Timmy Green,” age 32, of Mayersville, Mississippi
• Carey Cornelius Johnson, a/k/a “Reverend Carey Johnson,” age 54, of Mayersville, Mississippi

In addition, Lakietha Hall is charged with seven counts of theft of public money, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and a forfeiture allegation. Glen Jones is also charged with two counts of theft of public money and Emma Hall (Lakietha Hall’s mother) and Reginald Hall are each also charged with one count of theft of public money. In addition to Lakietha Hall, Emma Hall is also named in the forfeiture allegation which will require each of them, upon conviction, to forfeit to the United States any property derived from the proceeds of their offense.

Lakietha Hall was arrested on December 21 by federal authorities on charges outlined in a federal criminal complaint. A search warrant was executed at her residence and more than
$10,000 cash was seized. Hall made an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge who released her on a personal recognizance bond, but Hall has since failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance. Emma Hall, Glen Jones, Carolyn Evans Green and Carl Green were arrested in January and were also released on personal recognizance bonds. It is anticipated that defendant Reginald Derrell Hall will surrender within the week to federal authorities and arrest warrants have been issued for defendants Milton Evans, Grace Mae Green, Timothy Green and Carey Cornelius Johnson.

The indictment alleges that from September 2005 through December 21, 2005, the defendants conspired with each other, and others, to commit theft of public money by stealing disaster assistance from FEMA and disaster unemployment assistance funds from the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL).

According to the indictment, the defendants made numerous fraudulent claims for hurricane disaster relief by filing the fraudulent claims over the telephone and online with FEMA and the LDOL. They provided FEMA and LDOL with current mailing addresses they controlled, caused the disaster assistance funds and disaster unemployment assistance funds to be disbursed to them via debit cards, checks and/or electronic transfers, and used the funds for their own personal use

Hall has received approximately $80,000 in fraudulently obtained Hurricane Katrina disaster benefits and there is no evidence to indicate that Lakietha Hall ever lived in New Orleans, Louisiana.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, if convicted on all charges, Lakietha Hall faces a maximum statutory sentence of 105 years imprisonment, a $2.5 million fine and restitution. If convicted on all charges, Glen Jones faces a maximum statutory sentence of 25 years imprisonment, a $750,000 fine and restitution; and Emma Hall and her son Reginald Hall each face a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a $500,000 fine and restitution. The remainder of the defendants face a maximum statutory sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and restitution, if convicted.

In September 2005, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force --- chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division --- includes members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office, and the Executive Office of the United States Attorneys, among others.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts in this case of the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tammy Reno.

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