MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Welfare Task Force, Thursday, announced additional arrests on welfare fraud charges.
Scott Burger, 37, of Eldred, who was arrested on November 6 for allegedly owning over $39,600 in back child support, has now been determined to be a fugitive from justice in the state of Tennessee. Authorities said he failed to appear in April for sentenced in Rutherford County Court on a charge of aggravated felony assault. He was rearrested and extradited to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
In another case, Christina Frankenberg, 41, of Roscoe was arrested on November 21 and charged with two counts of welfare fraud and one count of offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies, for allegedly collecting $5,478 in public assistance benefits while she was working at a local restaurant.
Shannon Baker, 24, of the Bronx, was arrested on November 28 and charged with welfare fraud and offering a false instrument for filing, both as felonies, for allegedly collecting $1,947 in public assistance benefits while she was working in Connecticut. It is alleged she was also collecting benefits in Connecticut. She was sent to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Juanita Coleman, 54, of Liberty was arrested on December 8 and charged with two counts of misuse of food stamps as misdemeanors. It is alleged she used the electronic benefits card of a relative who is in state prison.
Irina Prokopenko, 43, of Woodridge was arrested on December 8 and charged with five counts of possession of a forged instrument, six counts of filing a false instrument, and one count of welfare fraud. It is alleged she stole $10,000 in public assistance benefits by failing to report income she was receiving from her children’s father. She was sent to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. During the investigation, it was determined she was in the US illegally and a detainer was lodged against her by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Autumn Brown, 21, of Monticello was arrested on December 11 and charged with the felonies of welfare fraud and two counts of offering a false instrument for filing. It is alleged she failed to report income she was receiving from her child’s father.
