Former Bureau of Prisons Human Resources Specialist Pleads Guilty to Submitting Forged Credit Report Authorization Forms

     WASHINGTON – Lisa Reed, a former employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons has pled guilty to one count of making a false statement, involving her use of credit reports obtained through a database, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Gene E. Morrison, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General.

     Reed, 41, of Lancaster, New Hampshire, pled guilty on February 16, 2012, before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alan Kay of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As part of the plea agreement, Reed agreed to resign her employment from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Under the voluntary federal sentencing guidelines, she faces up to six months of imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2012.

     According to the government’s evidence, Reed was a Human Resources Specialist with the BOP, which is part of the Department of Justice. As part of her duties, she had access to a database through which she was able to obtain credit reports on prospective BOP employees. Reed was only authorized to obtain credit reports for prospective BOP employees who had completed and signed an official BOP credit report authorization form.

     In June and September of 2011, using her access to credit reports through her employment with the BOP, Reed obtained credit reports for her father and her stepmother. At the time, her father and her stepmother were in the process of obtaining a divorce.

     In December of 2011, Reed was interviewed about these credit reports by Special Agent D. Nichole Fleming of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General. The office conducts criminal investigations and audits of alleged fraud, waste, and abuse committed by DOJ employees, including BOP employees. During the interview, Reed falsely claimed that she had obtained the credit reports because she was “pre-screening” her father to be a contractor with the BOP. In addition, on December 13, 2011, Reed mailed to Special Agent Fleming two BOP credit report authorization forms purporting to authorize her to obtain credit reports for her father and her stepmother. These forms contained the forged signatures of her father and her stepmother.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Morrison commended the outstanding investigative work of Special Agent D. Nichole Fleming of the Office of the Inspector General. He also praised the efforts of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Krishawn Graham and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Johnson, who is prosecuting the case.

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