Jeffrey James Milliron Sentenced In U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Helena, on April 16, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, JEFFREY JAMES MILLIRON appeared for sentencing. MILLIRON was sentenced to a term of:

Probation: 5 years, with 6 months GPS/house arrest

Special Assessment: $100

Restitution: $33,318

MILLIRON was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to making false statements.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In April 2010, the Social Security Administration ("SSA") received information from Lewis and Clark County's Office of Public Assistance that J.P., a long-time recipient of Supplemental Security Income ("SSI"), was married and working at a tattoo shop in Helena. Marital status, living arrangements, and employment are among the factors that SSA analyzes in order to determine eligibility for SSI benefits.

SSA opened an investigation and J.P. was interviewed on September 10, 2010, by a claims representative. The representative confronted J.P. about her marriage and her employment, both of which J.P. denied. After leaving the interview, she returned a short time later with a letter from MILLIRON that claimed J.P. was not married to MILLIRON, did not live with him, and did not work at his tattoo parlor.

In February 2011, MILLIRON's probation officer was interviewed and stated that he observed J.P. and MILLIRON living together every time he visited MILLIRON and that J.P. worked at the tattoo parlor. Another probation officer provided consistent information, and produced reports filled out by MILLIRON that indicated he was living with J.P. from January 2007 through at least January 2011.

On February 24, 2011, both MILLIRON and J.P. were interviewed. MILLIRON initially claimed that he was not married and stood by the letter he wrote in September 2010. However, when confronted with his marriage license, MILLIRON admitted that he was married, that he wrote the letter, and that he made a false statement to the SSA. He admitted that he knew that his marriage to J.P. would affect her SSI entitlement and that they concealed their marriage so she could continue to receive SSI payments. MILLIRON also admitted that J.P. worked at the tattoo parlor and earned anywhere from $100 to $800 per month.

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General.