Aug 26, 2020 5 min read

Seven inmates at SCI-Greene and SCI-Fayette were among 33 inmates and accomplices accused of fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 unemployment benefits, officials announced Tuesday.

The Western Pennsylvania COVID-19 Fraud Task Force alleged inmates at eight state and county jails used jail phones and other means to communicate with people outside the prison, directing them to file for unemployment benefits for which they were not eligible through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA). PUA is a part of the CARES Act, and is a federal program designed to provide assistance to those unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service and other agencies comprise the task force.

“The unprecedented scope and audacity of this inmate unemployment compensation fraud is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. “These benefits were intended to help Pennsylvania workers make it through a difficult time. These inmates and their accomplices took advantage of this national emergency to line their pockets through fraud. Their conduct is despicable at any time, but particularly in a time of a national emergency.”

Among those facing charges is Jamelle Fairfax, 32, an inmate at SCI-Fayette, and his wife, Amanda Fairfax, 35, who allegedly filed his claim. According to the affidavit, Jamelle Fairfax told authorities he gave his wife permission to file a claim on his behalf, but claimed he did not know it was wrong, never received any money, and thought the money could go toward house payments because “his family would be homeless soon.”

However, in a recorded phone call, Amanda Fairfax reportedly told her husband, “I found a loophole,” and said she was getting “close to $9,000” between her husband’s claim and a second claim, adding, “I need that to help us get the car back and the house.”

They are charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements, and with conspiring to commit fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefit.

Others involved include:

Levi Stroud, 24, an inmate at SCI-Greene, and Christina Marie Weigner of Burgettstown, who are charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefit.

Shicon Jordan, 46, an SCI-Greene inmate, his brother, Dennis Hill, aka Dennis Jordan of Philadelphia, and Niya Hill, 35, of Johnstown, who are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefit, and knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, claims for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements.

Jerome Dockblandi Poole, 33, an inmate at SCI-Greene and his ex-girlfriend, Tracy Ann Stankiewicz of New Kensington, who are charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements.

Joseph Thomas Gainer, 28, an SCI-Greene inmate, his friend, Jonetta Meneffe Davis of Pittsburgh, and Joshua Calibe Lowry, aka El Rocco, who are charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements. Gainer, Davis and Lowry are also charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefit, and Gainer is charged with making a materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to federal agents of the U.S. government.

Amasa Lamont Camp, 23, an inmate at SCI-Fayette, who is charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements. According to the complaint, Camp used Global Tel-Link electronic messages to provide his personal identifiers to a member of his family to fraudulently apply for PUA benefits on his behalf.

Gary Clanton, 33, an inmate at SCI-Fayette, who is charged with knowingly filing, or aiding and abetting the filing, of a claim for PUA benefits that contained materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements. According to the complaint, Clanton used Global Tel-Link electronic messages to provide his personal identifiers to an unidentified male to fraudulently applying for PUA benefits on his behalf.

“These defendants took advantage of a public health emergency to cash in on the backs of working people across our commonwealth. They ripped off a program meant for everyday people whose lives were uprooted by COVID-19, some doing so from jail cells in local Pennsylvania prisons,” said state Attorney General Shapiro. “Our work here is not done. We will continue to root out scammers taking advantage of a system put in place to help during a trying time.”

During a press conference, Brady warned those who fraudulently applied for benefits, telling them to return the money or withdraw their claims.

“We know who you are,” he said.