Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Theft of VA Benefits

In Waco today, 44-year-old Lawrence Annon Lee, III, of Las Vegas, NV, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for stealing approximately $43,000 in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr. 

In addition to the prison term, United States Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske ordered that Lee pay $42,912.78 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term. 

On December 3, 2015, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of theft of Government property and one count of aggravated identity theft.  By pleading guilty, Lee admitted that between October and December in 2014, he used the name and social security number of an unsuspecting Bellmead, TX, resident to collect approximately $5,500 in monthly VA benefits Lee was not entitled to receive.  Lee also admitted that in 2011, he fraudulently used his victim’s personal information to apply for and receive outpatient health care, prescriptions and prosthetics from the VA valued at approximately $28,000.

This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Bellmead Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Mark Frazier prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.