Former Army recruiter charged with theft of public money

A former Army recruiter was charged with theft of public money, said Acting U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

Robert L. Lucks, 51, of Warsaw, was charged via a criminal information.  On or about April 17, 2009, Lucks, a former Disabled Veteran Outreach Representative with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), used his former position to obtain personal identification information of a spouse of an ODJFS customer, to steal $1,000 of Department of Defense funds, according to the information. 

To aid the military in its recruiting efforts, the Army National Guard established the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP).  The program was designed to offer monetary recruiting incentives to part-time soldiers to identify and encourage individuals to serve in the Army National Guard and other military branches.

Lucks fraudulently submitted the personal information of a potential soldier through his online G-RAP account.  The potential soldier did not provide her information to Lucks to be used for G-RAP.  Lucks submitted fabricated details of his relationship with the potential soldier, in order to receive recruiting incentives to which he was not entitled.  Because of the inappropriately procured personal information and fabricated relationship details Lucks submitted, he received $1,000 in money belonging to the United States to which he was not entitled, according to the information.

If convicted, the court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum.  In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karrie Howard following an investigation by Major Procurement Fraud Unit, US Army CID.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.