Exeter Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements

Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Clifford Sprague, 37, of Exeter, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to making false statements to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) benefits.  SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to people with disabilities.

According to court records, from March 2011 until March 2012, the defendant received $12,864 in SSDI benefits for himself and his three dependent children.  In November 2011, the defendant was required to undergo a Continuing Disability Review to determine if he was still disabled.  During this review, the defendant told his representative payee to falsely represent that the defendant did not work outside the house and required someone to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him.  In truth and fact, the defendant did not have disabilities that required someone else to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him.  The defendant did a significant amount of work outside the house including working as a scrap metal dealer, carpenter and woodcutter.

The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General.