Modesto Man Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For Stealing $127,000 In Social Security Benefits

FRESNO, Calif. — James Giulio Davidson, 59, of Modesto, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $127,000 in restitution for theft of government benefits, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, Davidson and his deceased wife and former co-defendant, Shirley Kay Davidson, stole more than $64,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and $63,000 in In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) from January 2003 to July 2010. Shirley Kay Davidson created a fake person named Sharon Guinn to act as her and James Davidson’s purported IHSS caretaker. James and Shirley Davidson regularly filled out false time cards for the purported work provided by Sharon Guinn and then cashed the IHSS wages sent to this fake person for their personal use and benefit. Further, James and Shirley Davidson failed to report this fraudulent source of income to the Social Security Administration during redetermination interviews for continued SSI benefits. Additionally, James and Shirley Davidson stated to the SSA that they separated in November 2007, when in fact they continued to live together, which increased the amount of SSI benefits they received.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Michael Tierney prosecuted the case.

Docket #: 1:12-cr-168-AWI