Norfolk Longshoreman Convicted of Food Stamp Fraud

NORFOLK, Va. – Dwayne Carter, 38, of Norfolk, was sentenced yesterday to 29 months in prison for conspiracy to engage in food stamp benefits fraud. Carter was ordered to pay $1,928,633.10 in restitution to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

Carter pleaded guilty on April 27, 2015.  According to court documents, Carter is the son of James Robert Carter, who was the long-time owner and operator of the Merrimac Market, located on Merrimac Avenue in Norfolk. Merrimac Market, classified by the USDA and FNS as a small grocery store, began participating in the Food Stamp and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in April 1993.  From Jan. 1, 2010, to Nov. 7, 2013, the Carters used the Merrimac Market cash register to debit funds from customers who had presented and swiped their EBT card. The person behind the register would then pay the customers half the value of the amount that had been debited in cash.  To avoid detection the Carters debited funds off of a card in multiple transactions over a period of minutes, hours or days.  The Carters obtained approximately $1,928,663 from the USDA/FNS SNAP Program.  James Robert Carter was convicted earlier this year and was sentenced on Jan. 16, 2015, to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,275,889.59.  The restitution amounts between the Carters are joint and several.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Williams Squires, Jr., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region; and Thomas Jankowski, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar, Sr.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Haynie prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15cr17

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