Federal Grand Jury Indicts 19 Central Illinois United States Postal Service Workers for Wire Fraud

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois, dated Wednesday, September 13, 2023, announcing that a federal grand jury has returned indictments against 19 United States Postal Service employees and former employees, charging them with wire fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program. The release lists each person with age, city and the number of wire fraud counts, including Patrice Green, Shakeena Mosley and Diamond Vinson, each charged with four counts, and Shawntelle Lynn, charged in October 2022 with two counts. It states that each has been arraigned or summoned to appear in federal court in Springfield or Urbana. The maximum statutory penalties are 30 years' imprisonment, five years of supervised release and restitution.

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PRESS RELEASE



Federal Grand Jury Indicts 19
Central Illinois United States Postal
Service Workers for Wire Fraud
Related to COVID Relief Funds
Wednesday, September 13, 2023


For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury has returned indictments against 19 United
States Postal Service employees and former employees, charging them with fraud
related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered through the Small
Business Administration (SBA).

The PPP provided federally backed funds to small businesses that were directly affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs, rent, utilities, and
mortgage interest. The program was implemented by the SBA and administered by
third-party lenders. The PPP was enacted via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (“CARES”) Act, an economic bill that passed in March 2020 in response to the
economic fallout caused by the pandemic.

The indicted individuals, all current or former United States Postal Service employees,
are:

      Dominique Alexander, 31, of Downers Grove, Illinois, formally of Springfield, was
       charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
      Tenneil Baskin, 42, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       two counts of wire fraud.
      Breanea Brown, 28, of Savoy, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one
       count of wire fraud.
      Rachaundra Donaldson, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September
       2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
      Maya Egbejima, 25, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       two counts of wire fraud.
      Larry Eubanks, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       two counts of wire fraud.
      Angela Gillespie, 35, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       one count of wire fraud.
      Patrice Green, 47, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four
       counts of wire fraud.
      Charles Hughes, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, formally of Springfield, was charged in
       September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
      Marcus Jones, 39, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two
       counts of wire fraud.
      Sarah Jones, 43, of Danville, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one
       count of wire fraud.
      Jasmine Morris, 30, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in February 2023 with two
       counts of wire fraud.
      Shakeena Mosley, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       four counts of wire fraud.
      Ainmere Sangster, 32, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023
       with one count of wire fraud.
      Diamond Vinson, 29, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four
       counts of wire fraud.
      Uniqua Whitaker, 27, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one
       count of wire fraud.
      Ta Sheena White, 32, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one
       count of wire fraud.
      Rikkia Williams, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with
       two counts of wire fraud.
      Shawntelle Lynn, 31, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in October 2022 with two
       counts of wire fraud.

Each of the individuals have either already been arraigned or have been issued a
summons to appear in federal court in Springfield or Urbana for arraignment. If
convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are a
maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, a maximum five-year term of supervised release,
and restitution.

Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Springfield Field Office; United States Secret Service; United States Postal Inspection
Service; the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the Internal
Revenue Service Office of Inspector General; the Department of Labor Office of
Inspector General; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and the
Illinois Department of Revenue. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Bertrand and Sierra
Senor-Moore are representing the government in the prosecutions.

COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help
people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public
suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the
National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the
NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the
Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection,
prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and
man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed
by law enforcement officials. More information is available
at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the
defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Updated September 13, 2023

Topics
CORONAVIRUS

DISASTER FRAUD
Components
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
USAO - Illinois, Central


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