Five women are facing charges following welfare fraud investigations in Rome and Utica, according to the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office.
According to the DA’s Office, charges were filed against the women in Utica City Court and Rome City Court following join investigations by investigators with the Oneida County Department of Social Services and the DA’s Office.
Brandy Iannone, 36, of Florida, is charged with felony fourth-degree grand larceny and felony first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. She’s accused of receiving $2,200 in Temporary Assistance and SNAP benefits that she wasn’t entitled to.
Nieco Rivers, 25, of Utica, is charged with felony fourth-degree grand larceny. She’s accused of receiving $1,462 in Temporary Assistance that she wasn’t entitled to.
Rosa Gonzales, 40, of Utica, is charged with felony fourth-degree grand larceny and felony first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. She’s accused of receiving $1,416.22 in Temporary Assistance that she wasn’t entitled to.
Seneca Thompson, 28, of Utica, is charged with felony fourth-degree grand larceny. She’s accused of receiving $1,479 in Temporary Assistance and $348 in SNAP benefits that she wasn’t entitled to.
According to the DA’s Office, the four women failed to report their employment to the county Department of Social Services in a timely manner.
Tabitha Lewis, 45, of Rome, is charged with felony falsifying business records, misdemeanor third-degree identity theft, and misdemeanor misuse of food stamps. She’s accused of unlawfully purchasing food items for another person using a SNAP benefit card.
The five women have all been arraigned on the charges.