October 13, 10

NEWS / Former U.S. Marshals Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of $104,000 in Government Funds

WASHINGTON — A former U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) employee pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Washington to stealing $104,000 in government funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

According to court documents, Sno H. Rush, 40, of Upper Marlboro, Md., worked as an administrative officer for USMS in the District of Columbia Superior Court from 2002 to 2008. Rush’s responsibilities included, among other things, handling payroll-related matters for USMS, authorizing payment to USMS employees and outside entities, drafting and signing U.S. Treasury checks for USMS expenditures, as well as supervising and directing other USMS employees to draft and sign such checks.

According to the plea agreement, Rush admitted that between April 2006 and February 2009, she unlawfully used a USMS credit card for personal expenses totaling approximately $15,000. In addition, Rush admitted creating a fictitious employee in the USMS payroll system and submitting falsified time-and-attendance records for the employee, resulting in fraudulent payments totaling $31,000 between November 2007 and October 2008, which Rush converted to her personal use. Rush also admitted that between June 2007 and November 2008, she caused to be issued $51,000 in U.S. Treasury checks to pay down the balance on a personal credit card, disguising the theft with fraudulent business invoices she created to make the payments appear legitimate. According to the plea agreement, Rush converted an additional $7,000 in U.S. Treasury checks used to pay the balance on another personal credit card. In total, Rush admitted stealing approximately $104,000 in USMS funds.

Rush pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to a one-count criminal information, filed Sept. 9, 2010, charging Rush with theft of government property. Rush faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set by the court.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Eric G. Olshan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/October/10-crm-1135.html

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