Napoleonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal Agent

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CHERKISSA JACKSON, 33, of Napoleonville, pled guilty yesterday to an Indictment charging her with one count of false statements.

According to court documents, on September 3, 2008, following Hurricane Gustave impacting Napoleonville, JACKSON filed an application with the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency on claiming the loss of a trailer.  On October 31, 2008, JACKSON received via wire transfer $28,800 into her account based on her claim.  However, on January 6, 2007, the year before the storm, JACKSON sold the trailer to another party as was evidenced by a bill of sale and did not own the trailer when Hurricane Gustav struck Napoleonville.  On or about February 23, 2012, JACKSON lied to a Special Agent of the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security when she told the agent that she owned the trailer in Napoleonville at the time of Hurricane Gustav.

JACKSON faces a possible maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000 and up to three (3) years of supervised release, as well as restitution.  U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon set sentencing for September 1, 2016.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. of the Fraud Unit is in charge of the prosecution.