Defendant Who Failed to Surrender for Service of Prison Sentence Gets More Prison Time

DETROIT – Tamara Smith, 39, of Detroit, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to surrender to the United States Marshal in Detroit for service of a prison sentence as ordered by the Court, announced Acting United States Attorney, Julie A. Beck.

Beck was joined in the announcement by Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

On June 26, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey sentenced Smith to imprisonment for 60 months for her convictions for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. At that time, Smith was out on bond. Rather than being taken immediately into custody to commence service of her 60-month sentence, Smith asked for more time on bond, assuring the Court she would voluntarily surrender for service of her sentence when ordered by the Court. The Court agreed to her request, ordering her to voluntarily surrender to the United States Marshal in Detroit on July 1, 2024. Smith acknowledged her obligation in court at the time of the sentencing hearing.

Despite being aware of her representation to the Court that she would voluntarily turn herself in, Smith deliberately failed to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshal as ordered. On July 2, 2024, the Court issued an arrest warrant for Smith for failing to surrender. Smith failed to surrender as ordered, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service arrested her on July 18, 2024.

Judge Grey’s 18-month sentence for failing to surrender as ordered will run consecutive to Smith’s underlying 60-month sentence for fraud and identity theft.

“This case should send a message to anyone who deliberately chooses to violate a court order in a criminal case that you will be punished.  Orders of courts must be respected and followed. This defendant violated the trust of the court and abused the criminal justice system - she needed to be held accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Beck.

"Tamara Smith has been convicted multiple times of defrauding unemployment insurance (UI) programs that are intended to support unemployed American workers. Following her recent conviction and sentencing related to UI fraud charges, she failed to surrender as mandated and made efforts to avoid apprehension. This sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to circumvent the justice system,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Corbett.