Bastrop woman pleads guilty to stealing more than $40,000 in Social Security benefits

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Bastrop woman pleaded guilty to stealing more than $40,000 in Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits.

Katie Marie Day, 40, of Bastrop, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes to one count of theft of government property.  The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Day married her husband in February of 2000. She applied for SSA disability benefits in August of 2009 and claimed that she was separated from her husband. If she had claimed to still be living with her husband, their combined income would have been too high for Day to receive the benefit payments. Day’s husband passed away in September of 2016. During an interview following her husband’s death, Day told SSA district office staff on January 9, 2017 in Monroe that she had in fact been living with her husband off and on since their marriage. This caused SSA to overpay Day $40,569 from October 2009 to September 2016.

Day faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of June 13, 2018.

The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.