Brendyn Andrew, 33, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges related to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits fraud and identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment alongside Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Northeast Region.
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Andrew faces charges of aggravated identity theft, SNAP benefits fraud, social security number misuse, and theft of government property. He is scheduled to have his initial appearance today at 4:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms.
According to the indictment, Andrew allegedly misused the social security numbers of two different individuals to apply for and use SNAP benefits in Maryland from February through June 2021. In Maryland, SNAP benefits are funded by the USDA and administered by the Maryland Department of Human Services – Family Investment Administration.
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If convicted, Andrew faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and up to ten years in prison for theft of government property.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the United States Department of Agriculture for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department for its investigative assistance.
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