METAIRIE WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FORGING A SEAL OF A DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES
STEPHANIE O. LANGLOIS, age 38, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to one count of forging a seal of a department or agency of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, LANGLOIS admitted that on eight separate occasions between October, 2007 and February, 2008, she forged and counterfeited the Office of Management and Budget seal and then printed the seal on documents purporting to be grant award letters. She distributed these letters to potential clients for the purpose of misleading them into thinking that an official government agency had awarded grant money that would assist the clients in rebuilding their businesses which sustained damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
LANGLOIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a $250,0000 fine, and three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 15, 2010.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.
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