Trending
WARREN -- Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean O'Brien delayed the sentencing of a Youngstown woman Wednesday morning, giving her more time to make restitution payments
O'Brien told Lenda West, 60, of Northview Boulevard Apartments, making restitution payments could determine how long or if she goes to prison. West is charged with fraudulently obtaining thousands of dollars in veteran benefits and faces a potential three-year prison sentence.
West's progress will be assessed at a hearing in three months. As of now prosecutor's say West has not made any restitution payments.
In March, West pleaded guilty to an amended indictment charging her with fourth-degree forgery and fourth-degree attempted telecommunications fraud, court records indicate.
West was charged with submitting a fraudulent honorable discharge form to secure $8,579 in unqualified VA benefits from Trumbull County Veterans Services between August 2020 and November 2022.
Prosecuting attorney Ryan Sanders said West altered her dishonorable discharge form to appear honorable, giving her eligibility to receive benefits she was not entitled to.
The TCVS uncovered the discrepancies after running her information through the federal system and comparing it with legitimate paperwork.
Had the case gone to trial, Sanders said he would've called Herm Breuer, director of TCVS, to testify. West's fraudulent actions were linked to her dishonorable discharge from the military due to a positive drug test.
Sanders said West's case is one of several recent cases where the court has worked with veteran's services to investigate.
In the courtroom of Judge Cynthia Rice, 31-year-old Kotey Paden had his jury trial upended when Breuer and prosecuting attorney Gabe Wildman determined through records that Paden lied about being a combat veteran in Syria.
Paden had never been in combat and he had been dishonorably discharged in April 2020 due to "misconduct and serious offenses," according to records.
Rice sentenced Paden to two years on charges of third-degree strangulation, misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and child endangerment.
Erik Snead, 41, could also land in prison after it was determined he lied about being wounded in Iraq and attending boot camp.
Snead has a pending case on two counts of third-degree tampering with records along with two misdemeanor counts of falsification.
He's set to be arraigned for June 26.
O'Brien had previously sentenced Snead to 24 months of probation on a firearm charge.