Patrick County Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Money

Danville, VIRGINIA – A Patrick County, Virginia man, who stole more than $230,000 from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services in disability benefits to which he was not entitled, pleaded guilty yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Danville, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

Mark S. Huffman, 46, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday to a one-count Information charging him with theft of government monies. As part of his plea agreement, Huffman agreed to pay restitution for $234,134 to the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the defendant faces a maximum term of incarceration of up to 10 years.

According to evidence presented at yesterday’s guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney’s Charlene R. Day, Huffman collected $234,134 in disability benefits from the government while also earning money working a full-time job, which he failed to report to the Social Security Administration or the Department of Health and Human Service, as required by law.

The investigation of the case was conducted by Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case for the United States.