For some Texans, the Lone Star Card can make the difference between not having enough to eat and being able to feed themselves and their families. Over four hundred million dollars are distributed to families each month through the Lone Star Card program. Unfortunately, as is the case with food assistance card programs across America, Lone Star Cards are sometimes stolen or obtained fraudulently. Both using a Lone Star Card that belongs to someone else and obtaining Lone Star benefits by providing false or misleading information are crimes. If you have been charged with theft in relation to a Lone Star Card or with obtaining a Lone Star Card fraudulently, it is important that you speak with a Texas criminal defense attorney.
A story out of Lufkin describes one way in which Lone Star Card theft can play out. In September, a woman’s purse was stolen from her vehicle. After the purse was stolen, someone used the woman’s driver’s license and Social Security card, which were in the purse, to change the PIN number for her Lone Star Card, which was also in the purse. The Lone Star Card was then used at two grocery stores in Lufkin, and also at Wal-Mart.
Images of a woman using the stolen card to purchase approximately two hundred dollars’ worth of groceries at Wal-Mart were captured by security cameras in the store. The woman’s appearance is distinctive. She has black skin and curly platinum blonde hair (or she was wearing a platinum blonde wig). She was wearing white wireless headphones around her neck at the time the security camera captured her image. The woman’s unique appearance and the fact that a reward is being offered to aid authorities in locating her may eventually aid law enforcement in apprehending her.
Obtaining Lone Star Card benefits fraudulently is also a crime. It is estimated that a little over four million dollars in Lone Star benefits are obtained through the use of fraud each month. When an allegation of Lone Star Card fraud theft is filed, investigators from the Office of the Inspector General look into it. Investigators have seen people obtain Lone Star Card benefits that they did not qualify for in a variety of ways. Some individuals omit mention of their spouse’s work history and income. Others cross the border from Mexico and use a friend’s or relative’s address to apply for and receive benefits. Then, they purchase food and try to bring it back into Mexico. These individuals often end up being apprehended at the border, because Customs and Border Protection officers ask individuals who have groceries in their vehicles to show them their grocery receipt as well as their documentation. If the groceries were paid for with Lone Star benefits but the person is a resident of Mexico, the person loses their passport and is denied reentry into Mexico.
Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra – Helping Texans Resolve Criminal Matters
If you have been charged with stealing a Lone Star Card, Using a stolen Lone Star Card, or obtaining Lone Star benefits fraudulently, a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney can protect your rights and help you work on resolving your criminal matter. Please call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499 or contact us online to find out whether Attorney Alex Tyra can help you.