Garcia Duran, Former Rocky Boy Health Board Supply Technician, Sentenced For Theft

The United States Attorney's Office announced that GARCIA DURAN, 35, of Box Elder, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay $7,674.43 in restitution to the Rocky Boy Health Board by U.S. District Judge Brian Morris during a federal court session in Great Falls on March 12, 2014.

In a Sentencing Memorandum filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad C. Spraker, the government described Duran's conduct as the following:

From 1999 to January 2010, Duran was employed at the Rocky Boy Health Board as a supply technician, a job that required him to procure supplies for the clinic. From September 2009 to November 2009, Duran purchased a number of goods and services from Havre Tire Factory and Big R Stores. Before these purchases, Duran submitted requisition forms and purchase orders to the Rocky Boy Health Board. The vendors issued invoices indicating the vendee as Rocky Boy Health Center.

Duran submitted $7,674.43 in invoices to the Health Board under the pretense that the items were for legitimate clinic expenses when, in fact, the invoices were for Duran's personal expenses. As a result of Duran's fraud, the Rocky Boy Health Board paid the vendors for Duran's expenses. On March 5, 2013, Duran was interviewed by an FBI Special Agent at the Rocky Boy Police Department. In the interview, Duran admitted he purchased items for personal use and caused Health Board to pay for the items. Duran confessed that $7,674.43 in expenses from Havre Tire Factory and Big R Stores were in fact personal. Duran admitted he knew it was wrong to use Health Board funds to purchase personal items.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the (truth in sentencing( guidelines mandate that Duran will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Duran does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for (good behavior.( However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.