Baltimore, Maryland — Shawn Penn, 41, of Pasadena, has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly faking her work as a security guard at a high-security government facility while collecting tens of thousands in taxpayer dollars. A five-count indictment returned December 1, 2016, accuses Penn of abandoning her post for nearly a year and lying to investigators about her whereabouts during duty hours.
The charges, announced by U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Mid-Atlantic Field Office, stem from Penn’s role as a contract security guard at a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) in Anne Arundel County. The job required a Top Secret-Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, a gun permit, and constant monitoring of surveillance systems, alarms, and facility conditions — responsibilities Penn allegedly ignored.
While working full-time as an active-duty U.S. Army Intelligence Officer at Fort Meade, Penn was also contracted to perform security duties during regular business hours. Surveillance footage and duty logs contradict her time reports, with the indictment alleging she regularly left her station from September 2015 to August 2016. Despite being absent, she submitted claims that led the government to pay over $40,000 to her employer — funds she and the company were not entitled to receive.
The indictment details how Penn used her government-issued duty cell phone to send routine check-in messages, creating the illusion she was on-site. In reality, investigators say she was often nowhere near the facility. She allegedly misrepresented her location, claiming she was ‘in her car,’ ‘across the street,’ or ‘driving around the parking lot’ — statements later proven false.
On October 6, 2016, Penn allegedly lied directly to DCIS investigators, stating she had not abandoned her post until January 2016. Evidence shows she began skipping duties as early as September 2015. That false statement forms the basis of the fifth count in the indictment — making false statements to federal agents.
Shawn Penn faces a maximum of five years in prison on each of the four false claims counts and the single count of making false statements. She made her initial appearance and arraignment in U.S. District Court in Baltimore and was released under supervision by U.S. Pretrial Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber. An indictment is not a finding of guilt; Penn is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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