BISMARCK — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - North Dakota), published as received.
BISMARCK - United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor sentenced Patrick Robert McKee, a/k/a William Patrick O’Hara, Age 77 from Flint, MI, to two years in federal prison for the charges of Social Security False Statements, False Statements, Health Care Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Traynor also sentenced McKee to 3 years supervised release and a $400 Special Assessment.
Investigation determined that Patrick Robert McKee stole the identity of J.C. (Identity Protected) in 1997 and then converted J.C.’s identity to William Patrick O’Hara while retaining J.C.’s social security number. Since 1997, McKee fraudulently lived and worked under J.C.’s identity. He used J.C.’s identity to obtain healthcare benefits, home mortgages, credit cards and for numerous other fraudulent pretenses.
"It has become far too common for people to have their identification stolen and suffer financial disruption and damaged credit," said United States Attorney Nick Chase, and "it is appropriate that this defendant received the maximum penalty under the law for the crime of Aggravated Identity Theft."
"We will continue to pursue those who misuse the Social Security number of others for their own personal gain. For decades, by obtaining benefits and services as
someone else, McKee abused the identity of another person," said Christian Assaad, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Denver Field Division. "I thank our law enforcement partners for working with in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting this case and holding this individual accountable."
"Fraudsters who steal the identity of others to loot taxpayer-funded federal health care programs often do so at the immeasurable risk of undermining the integrity of these programs," said Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. "In coordination with law enforcement partners, our oversight agency will continue to investigate those who participate in health care fraud schemes."
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General; Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; United States Department of Agriculture; and the United States Marshals Service, and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell assigned to the case.
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