November 13, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Deborah Manning, 55, of Barker, N.Y. pleaded guilty to theft of government funds before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a fine of $100,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that Manning, a rural carrier associate for the United States Postal Service, collected unemployment insurance benefits to which she was not entitled. Between March 12, 2007, and May 13, 2012, Manning fraudulently applied for unemployment insurance benefits on 38 separate occasions. The defendant failed to report income earned from the United States Postal Service in order to qualify for and receive unemployment insurance benefits. In total, Manning stole $8,992.75 in unemployment insurance benefits.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Lapina, the United States Department of Labor, Officer of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Panella, New York Region and the New York State Department of Labor, under the direction of Commissioner Peter M. Rivera.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 20, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Scott.