A former Coast Guard member has admitted to stealing nearly $70,000 in government benefits intended for veterans in need.
Derrick Brewer, 37, of Enfield, Connecticut, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds on March 4. Brewer collected approximately $69,584.16 in VA benefits from March 2018 through September 2020, after submitting a falsified DD-214 form to the VA offices in Hartford.
According to court documents, Brewer’s discharge from the U.S. Coast Guard was originally characterized as ‘Other Than Honorable Conditions’ following convictions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
However, Brewer altered the DD-214 form to indicate an ‘Honorable’ discharge, allowing him to collect benefits he was not entitled to.
Brewer was arrested on a criminal complaint on October 29, 2020, and is currently released on a $10,000 bond pending sentencing.
Brewer faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for his crime.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena L. Coronado and Margaret M. Donovan handling the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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