Department Of Navy Employee Sentenced To Federal Prison For Stealing Over $22,000 From United States Navy

Memphis, TN – Edward L. Stanton III, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that former Department of Navy employee Donna Lorraine Brown, age 45, of Millington, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to serve eight months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release with two months of home confinement and electronic monitoring. Brown was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $22,500.19 to the Department of Navy. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the criminal information and statements made in court, Brown was an employee of the United States Department of Navy assigned to the Navy Personnel Command Onboard Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee. Her primary duties included coordinating travel and processing travel reimbursement claims for Navy families of deceased active duty sailors.

Between June 2012 and March 2013, Brown filed approximately 19 false claims for travel reimbursement with the United States Navy using the personal identifying information (such as Social Security numbers) of family members of deceased Navy sailors. She then deposited the money that she received from these false claims into banking accounts controlled by her and her family members. The Navy’s investigation revealed that Brown unlawfully collected $22,500.19 from the Navy as a result of the false claims that she filed.

This case was investigated by the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Leetra J. Harris represented the government.