Maricella Reed, Mail Fraud, Texas 2015

A former Dallas Independent School District (DISD) employee has been sentenced for her role in a mail fraud conspiracy.

Dallas, TX - Maricella Reed, 41, a former data specialist with the DISD's Risk Management Department, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Her co-conspirator, Adrian Bevelle, 32, also pleaded guilty to the same charge. The pair was ordered to pay more than $161,000 in restitution, jointly and severally.

According to court documents, Reed used her position to cause unauthorized payments to be issued to Bevelle between May 2009 and May 2011. Bevelle was not a DISD employee nor was he a worker's compensation claimant. He was not entitled to any benefits from the DISD worker's compensation program.

Reed altered information sent to Accounts Payable, substituting Bevelle's name in place of legitimate claimants and adding Bevelle's name and payment amounts to the list of legitimate claimants. She also created and submitted payment voucher forms for Bevelle in various amounts. Based on the information Reed provided, Accounts Payable issued checks to Bevelle and mailed the checks to him at various addresses in Dallas and Irving. Bevelle received, endorsed, and cashed the checks at various locations.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Gividen and Michelle Allen-McCoy prosecuted the case.

Maricella Reed was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison in March. Her co-conspirator, Adrian Bevelle, was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison today. Reed is currently serving her sentence, while Bevelle must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on June 16, 2015.

The case highlights the importance of accountability in government agencies and the need for strict controls to prevent embezzlement and other forms of financial misconduct.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/former-disd-employee-and-co-conspirator-sentenced-roles-mail-fraud-conspiracy