Perry Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug and Food Stamp Fraud Charges

Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Tonia
Smith, 42, of Perry, Maine, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to fraudulently acquiring
Hydrocodone and food stamp fraud.

According to court records, from July to November 2013, Smith used her position as a
pharmacy technician at the Indian Health Service Center on Pleasant Point Reservation in Perry
to steal the pain medication Hydrocodone from the pharmacy and then shredded records that the
pharmacy was required to keep in order to conceal her thefts. The investigation also revealed
that from January to November 2013, Smith bought EBT cards from food stamp recipients for
amounts less than the credit assigned to each card and then used the cards to make unauthorized
purchases.

Smith faces up to 4 years in prison on the drug charge, up to 5 years in prison on the food
stamp fraud charge and a fine of up to $250,000 on each charge. She will be sentenced after
completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S.
Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture and the Pleasant Point Police
Department.