CLEARFIELD – A Morrisdale woman accused of fraudulently receiving over $67,000 in assistance benefits pleaded guilty Tuesday.
Investigators say Rebecca Dawn Selfridge, 38, applied for and received food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid and LIHEAP funds in 2013 through 2019 while not reporting another household member was employed and his income.
Her boyfriend, Joshua Michael Richards, reportedly made approximately $199,012 in gross wages during this period.
According to the affidavit, Richards was listing his address as Selfridge’s home with his employer, was a co-owner with Selfridge of two vehicles registered with the same address, and their daughter’s school records indicate both of her parents lived together at that residence.
In addition, a co-owner of the home reported that both of them lived at the home from December 2013 until they purchased it in September 2020. This witness verified that Richards was the one who paid the monthly rent.
At her previous address in Morrisdale, another property owner reported that the couple lived together there from August 2012 to October 2013 during which Richards paid their rent.
The investigation determined she had illegally received $31,580 from the SNAP program, $33,218.39 in Medicaid benefits and LIHEAP funds totaling $2,505.43. In this time period, she signed several documents acknowledging her responsibility to report any changes with household members or income.
During court Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to two felony counts of fraud obtaining foodstamps/assistance and one felony count of recipient prohibited acts-false statements and was sentenced to serve four months to one year in the county jail with five years probation.
First Assistant District Attorney F. Cortez “Chip” Bell noted that the plea agreement for that sentence required she pay $3,000 in restitution. The total restitution she still owes is $64,303.82.
Attorney Joshua Maines, who represented her at the sentencing hearing, noted that over $10,000 of the funds fall outside the statute of limitations for this case.
A reinstitution hearing will possibly be held at a later date to confirm the actual amount she needs to pay.