Hampton Man Sentenced To 61 Months For Stealing Government Money And Identity Theft

NORFOLK, Va. – Steven Jay Perrino, 58, of Hampton, Va., was sentenced today to 61 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for theft of government money and aggravated identity theft.  He was ordered to pay $122,134.45 in restitution to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Niall E. Meehan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

On September 4, 2013, after Diplomatic Security investigative analysts discovered possible fraudulent passport applications, DS special agents, in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office, and the Hampton and Virginia Beach Police Departments executed search and arrest warrants, which resulted in Perrino’s arrest.  On November 20, 2013, Perrinopled guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of aggravated identity theft.  According to court documents, Perrino assumed the identities of at least 5 different individuals dating back to 1986.  Perrino was able to assume these identities by obtaining personal information and associated documents and then using that information to apply for official forms of identification such as United States passports and driver’s licenses.  Perrino also enlisted in the Navy and Army under stolen identities.  Following a 10-year fraudulent enlistment in the Army, Perrino applied for and received VA benefits in that person’s name.  He was able to obtain more than $138,000 in benefits via the Montgomery and Post 9/11 GI Bills and federal student loans and grants. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service’s Washington Field Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Randy Stoker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.