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U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Local alleged drug dealers also charged with falsely obtaining tens of thousands of dollars through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (USAO SD-OH 03/05/2021) (2021-03-18)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio, dated March 5, 2021, announcing a superseding indictment returned Feb. 25 charging Ricco Lamonte Maye, Airrika N. Anthony, Nicole L. Groves and Kevin E. Pearson, all of Columbus, in a narcotics conspiracy involving fentanyl, crack, cocaine and methamphetamine. The release states that Maye, Anthony and Groves are also charged in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy related to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. It alleges that Maye received $7,400 from the state of Ohio and $10,000 from Michigan, Anthony received $13,900 and Groves received $11,800, and that the three used other individuals' personal information to apply for additional funds. The release notes that an indictment is merely an allegation.

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Cite this document

“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Local alleged drug dealers also charged with falsely obtaining tens of thousands of dollars through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (USAO SD-OH 03/05/2021) (2021-03-18).” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-local-alleged-drug-dealers-also-charged-wi-57cb05455b/, SHA-256 7f1201babc69826389b6dd6b62f7aea2b1283fe990c86e2f6685a20f45e0facc.

Full text

                                     Department of Justice
                                       U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                      Southern District of Ohio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Friday, March 5, 2021

     Local alleged drug dealers also charged with falsely
   obtaining tens of thousands of dollars through Pandemic
                  Unemployment Assistance
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged four Central Ohioans in a narcotics conspiracy
involving bulk quantities of fentanyl, crack, cocaine and methamphetamine. Three of the four
defendants have also been charged federally in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy related to illegally
receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Ricco Lamonte Maye, 38, of Columbus, was originally charged by indictment in November 2020 and
has remained in federal custody since.

Airrika N. Anthony, 32, Nicole L. Groves, 31, and Kevin E. Pearson, 57, all of Columbus, are charged
along with Maye in the superseding indictment returned Feb. 25. Maye, Anthony and Groves are
charged in the fraudulent unemployment assistance conspiracy.

According to court documents, beginning in 2018, the four defendants conspired to, possessed and
distributed 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, 280 grams of crack and
five grams of methamphetamine.

It is also alleged Maye, Anthony and Groves fraudulently filed for Pandemic Unemployment
Assistance. Maye received $7,400 from the state of Ohio and $10,000 from Michigan. In his
applications, he allegedly claimed he was unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic and in one
application falsely claimed he lived in Michigan.

Anthony received $13,900 after allegedly falsely claiming she was unable to reach her place of
employment due to a COVID-19 quarantine.

The superseding indictment details that Groves claimed to be unemployed because she is the
primary caretaker of a child who was unable to attend school because of the coronavirus. The
superseding indictment says Groves was actually employed and earned income at the time she
received $11,800 in assistance funds.

Maye, Anthony and Groves allegedly used the personal information of other individuals to apply for
additional pandemic assistance funds. Maye received all or a portion of the others’ benefits.

The drug conspiracy charged in this case is punishable by a minimum of 10 years and up to life in
prison. Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland Herndon,
Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Chris
Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; the
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael
Woods announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Heather A.
Hill are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in
a court of law.

                                              ###


Topic(s):                                            Component(s):
Coronavirus                                          USAO - Ohio, Southern
Drug Trafficking
                                                     Contact:
                                                     jennifer.thornton@usdoj.gov

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