Indictment — United States v. Joyce Turner, Central District of California (Document 5)

Summary

A grand jury Indictment filed April 4, 2025 as Document 5 in United States v. Joyce Turner, No. 2:25-cr-00254, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, charging fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits under 18 U.S.C. § 1040. It describes the Presidential Disaster Declaration for the January 2025 California Wildfires in Los Angeles County (FEMA-4856-DR), effective on or about January 8, 2025, under which FEMA offered assistance to victims. The indictment alleges that on or about January 9, 2025 the defendant, who resided in the Southern District of Texas, applied for FEMA benefits for damage to a Los Angeles County residence she claimed as a rental property and primary address, when she had no legitimate connection to it and did not qualify.

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     Case 2:25-cr-00254-MWF   Document 5   Filed 04/04/25   Page 1 of 3 Page ID #:24



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                                                                4/4/25
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                                                                    MRV


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                              UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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                       FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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                                JANUARY 2025 GRAND JURY
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10   UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,                CR 2:25-cr-00254-GW

11                   Plaintiff,               I N D I C T M E N T

12              v.                            [18 U.S.C. § 1040: Fraud in
                                              Connection with Major Disaster or
13   JOYCE TURNER,                            Emergency Benefits]
14                   Defendant.

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16        The Grand Jury charges:
17                               [18 U.S.C. §§ 1040, 2]
18   A.   INTRODUCTORY ALLEGATIONS
19        At times relevant to this Indictment:
20        1.     Defendant JOYCE TURNER resided in the Southern District of
21   Texas.    Defendant TURNER did not reside in California.
22        FEMA Benefits for Victims of January 2025 California Wildfires
23        2.     The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) was an
24   agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security.
25        3.     On or about January 8, 2025, the President of the United
26   States approved a Major Disaster Declaration for California in
27   response to multiple wildfires within Los Angeles County beginning on
28   or about January 7, 2025 (the “California Wildfires”).
     Case 2:25-cr-00254-MWF   Document 5   Filed 04/04/25   Page 2 of 3 Page ID #:25



 1        4.    This declaration was a Presidential Disaster Declaration

 2   (FEMA-4856-DR), effective on or about January 8, 2025, made under

 3   Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency

 4   Assistance Act.

 5        5.    Pursuant to this declaration, FEMA made available financial

 6   assistance and benefits to individuals and families affected by the

 7   California Wildfires (“victims”).

 8        6.    Victims who suffered losses as a result of the California

 9   Wildfires, including renters who lost personal property and/or the

10   use of their rental residences, could qualify for FEMA benefits.

11   Specifically, victims could seek relief for home repair, personal

12   property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing

13   assistance, among other benefits.

14   B.   THE FRAUDULENT APPLICATION

15        7.    On or about January 9, 2025, in the Central District of
16   California and elsewhere, defendant TURNER knowingly made and
17   willfully caused to be made a materially false, fictitious, and
18   fraudulent statement and representation to FEMA in an application for
19   benefits authorized, transported, transmitted, transferred,
20   disbursed, and paid in connection with the Presidential Disaster
21   Declaration for the State of California (FEMA-4856-DR), effective on
22   or about January 8, 2025, and made under Section 401 of the Robert T.
23   Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which benefits
24   concerned a record, voucher, payment, money, and thing of value of
25   the United States or any department or agency thereof.             Specifically,
26   defendant TURNER knowingly and fraudulently applied for FEMA benefits
27   pertaining to damage to a residence located in Los Angeles County,
28   which she claimed was a rental property and her primary address, when
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     Case 2:25-cr-00254-MWF   Document 5   Filed 04/04/25   Page 3 of 3 Page ID #:26



 1   in fact she had no legitimate connection to that address, did not

 2   reside in California, and did not qualify for benefits.

 3                                               A TRUE BILL
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 5                                               /S/
                                                 Foreperson
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 7    BILAL A. ESSAYLI
      United States Attorney
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10    LINDSEY GREER DOTSON
      Assistant United States Attorney
11    Chief, Criminal Division
12    KRISTEN A. WILLIAMS
      Assistant United States Attorney
13    Chief, Major Frauds Section
14    SCOTT PAETTY
      Assistant United States Attorney
15    Deputy Chief, Major Frauds Section
16    KERRY L. QUINN
      Assistant United States Attorney
17    Major Frauds Section
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