Mansfield man charged with defrauding Social Security

A Mansfield man was charged with theft of government funds.

Timothy L. Deener, 47, who receives Social Security benefits, falsely reported to the Social Security Administration for five years that he was not married and that he lived alone. As a result, Deener unlawfully obtained more in benefits than he was entitled to receive, according to the criminal information.

Special Agent Kelly Clark from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the Court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum.  In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.