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September 9, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Named in Federal Indictments

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Two individuals were named in separate Indictments returned on September 8 and 9, 2010, by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced that:

DARRELL EUGENE ABLES, age 45, of Weston, West Virginia, was named in a six-count Indictment. Count One of the Indictment alleges that ABLES committed representative payee fraud with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from September 18, 2003, and continuing without interruption until June 2007 in Weston, West Virginia. The Indictment alleges that ABLES made application and received SSI payments for the benefit of a minor child in the approximate value of $26,346.00, and did not use the benefits for the minor child. Counts Two through Six of the Indictment allege that ABLES made false statements to the Social Security Administration to continue SSI benefits for a minor child and falsely stated that the minor child resided with him; when, in fact, the minor child had been removed from his custody in September 2003.

If convicted, ABLES faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 on each count of the Indictment.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Angus Morgan. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General.

It should be noted that the charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations and not evidence of guilt, and that each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.