R. Alexander Acosta, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Donald J. Balberchak, special agent in charge, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Miami Field Office; and Enrique Gutierrez, inspector in charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, announced the defendant's charge.
Preston was charged with inflating applicants claims for FEMA disaster relief exchange for kickbacks from the applicants. Preston was indicted on October 18, 2005, for receipt of bribes by a public official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 201(b)(2)©, and making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287.
On April 27, 2006, she pled guilty to the bribery count.
FEMA is the agency authorized to provide disaster assistance in Florida to eligible victims of Hurricane Frances, which made landfall on September 5, 2004, near Sewalls Point, Martin County, Fla. In particular, FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provided financial assistance to individuals who suffered property losses and damage from Hurricane Frances. Preston approached victims seeking aid under the IHP, and solicited bribes in exchange for fraudulently inflating the value of their claims.
Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Osborne and Randy Katz of the Major Crimes Section.
Related court documents and information may be found on the Web site of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
A copy of this press release may be found on the Web site of the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Florida.
