Erie Convenience Store Owner Charged with Fraud

ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of theft of government property and WIC fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The two-count indictment named James Hunter, Jr., 37, of Erie, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment presented to the court, from July 2012 to June 2015, Hunter, who is the owner and operator of Melo’s Stop N Shops in Erie, committed WIC fraud by accepting food stamps and WIC checks for cash or ineligible items such as cigarettes.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and the Erie Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.