Tonique Hatton Sentenced in USDA Child Feeding Fraud

North Little Rock woman Tonique Hatton, 39, is headed to federal prison for 108 months after admitting her role in a brazen scheme to steal millions from federal programs meant to feed hungry children across Arkansas. Hatton, a former employee of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), abused her position to approve fake feeding sites and collect bribes while turning a blind eye to massive fraud within the USDA’s federally funded meal programs.

U.S. District Judge James M. Moody Jr. handed down the sentence Wednesday in Little Rock, ordering Hatton to serve nine years behind bars, followed by two years of supervised release. She was also hit with $7,632,871.77 in restitution and forfeiture of $17,681.49. Hatton pleaded guilty on September 6, 2016, to conspiring to commit wire fraud, becoming the third defendant sentenced in the sprawling investigation that has exposed systemic corruption in Arkansas’s child nutrition system.

Hatton’s responsibilities at DHS included reviewing sponsor applications, determining eligibility, and approving feeding sites for USDA programs. Between January 2012 and August 2014, she used that power to rubber-stamp applications for co-conspirators Jacqueline Mills and Kattie Jordan—both of whom paid her bribes to push through fraudulent operations. She also helped them hide their theft from oversight, allowing fake claims for hundreds of children who were never fed.

In a related case heard the same day, Michael Lee, 26, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his role in a nearly identical scam. Lee operated under the name Our Children of Tomorrow, claiming up to 800 children were served at two sites in Arkadelphia and Little Rock. In reality, no more than 30 children were fed at the Arkadelphia location—and none at all at the Little Rock site. Despite that, the program collected $666,428.07 in taxpayer funds. Lee’s sentencing before Chief U.S. Judge Brian S. Miller is pending.

Hatton is one of a dozen individuals now tangled in the widening net of this fraud probe. Kattie Jordan was sentenced to 63 months on March 15, 2016. Reuben Nims got 21 months on November 2, 2016. Others who have pleaded guilty and await sentencing include Gladys Waits, Christopher Nichols, Waymon Weeams, James Franklin, Francine Leon, Maria Nelson, Alexis Young, and Erica Warren. Jacqueline Mills, Dortha Harper, and Anthony Waits are set for trial on March 27, 2017, before Judge Moody.

The investigation remains active, led by the USDA–Office of Inspector General, FBI, IRS–Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Prosecutors Jana K. Harris, Allison W. Bragg, and Cameron McCree are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Anyone with information on ongoing fraud in feeding programs is urged to email USAARE.FeedingProgramFraud@usdoj.gov. These programs were meant to feed starving kids—not line the pockets of crooked insiders.