Maine Woman Arrested for Theft of Public Funds

BOSTON – A Maine woman was arrested today in connection with stealing federal housing benefits from 2004 to 2020.

Rebecca Amelia Cranford, 62, was charged with one count of theft of government funds. Cranford made her initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Maine this afternoon and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the indictment, from December 2004 until February 2020, Cranford allegedly stole approximately $113,067 in federal housing assistance benefits.

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Regional Field Office, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Maine State Police and Cumberland County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.