CLOVIS, N.M. -- A 35-year-old woman from Lubbock was indicted on Friday for receiving public assistance from two different states at the same time.
Tovia O'Neal, 35, is charged with two counts of misappropriating public assistance of more than $2,500 in addition to one count of misappropriating more than $20,000 in public assistance.
According to the Ninth Judicial District Attorney's Office, it was contacted in March 2011 by agents from the Human Services Division of the Office of Inspector General about alleged claims of public assistance fraud.
Authorities, upon investigation, discovered that O'Neal, during a three year course, both applied for and received public assistance funds in the form of food stamps, cash assistance and Medicaid benefits from the State of Mexico. She also received the same benefits from the State of Texas, authorities said.
"If this case is proven beyond a reasonable doubt and Ms. O'Neil is convicted, she faces up to a maximum of 15-years in prison," Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matthew Chandler said. "Public assistance fraud is a serious crime, and acts such as this costs New Mexicans hundreds of thousands of dollars every year."
O'Neal was living in Lubbock and mislead New Mexico officials by using a Clovis address as her own, the D.A.'s office said. She also failed to disclose to New Mexico that she was employed while receiving public assistance, officials confirmed.
State of New Mexico's Human Services Department's alleged overpaid benefits to O'Neil were listed at nearly $50,000.
