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A Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Boston for Social Security and benefit fraud.
Ismael Robles Tejeda, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $17,520 in restitution. Judge Saris signed a stipulated judicial order of removal thereby expediting the defendant’s removal proceedings to the Dominican Republic following his incarceration. In October 2019, Robles Tejeda pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Security number and one count of false statements in matters relating to health care.
On Aug. 3, 2015, Robles Tejeda applied for a Massachusetts identification card using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen. In October 2015, Robles Tejeda used that Massachusetts identification card to apply for and receive over $17,500 worth of MassHealth benefits in the Puerto Rican citizen’s name. When Robles Tejeda was arrested in April 2019, he had in his pocket a Massachusetts driver’s license issued to him in the identity of the Puerto Rican citizen. Robles Tejeda was identified, among other things, from a fingerprint match with a Dominican Republic identification document issued to him and bearing his photo. The defendant obtained the Massachusetts identification card in a fraudulent identity less than one month after he provided his true identity and was arrested for selling heroin in Lawrence, posted bail, and failed to appear at his Lawrence District Court arraignment date.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Health and Humand Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistants U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein and Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
