Release Date: January 23, 2008

Contact:    Vinse Gilliam, Deputy Chief Investigator

(805) 477-1650

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Jesenia Sosa (DOB 8/2/73), a resident of Ventura, was sentenced to serve 150 days in the Ventura County jail following her guilty plea for housing assistance fraud. The District Attorney's Government Fraud Unit obtained the conviction following a six-month investigation into allegations of housing and welfare fraud. The investigation revealed Sosa received $18,121 in public assistance funds for which she was not legally eligible.

With the cooperation of the City of Ventura Housing Authority , the County of Ventura Human Services Agency, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Office of Inspector General, the investigation revealed that Sosa was fraudulently receiving public housing assistance and welfare benefits over a period of approximately three years. Sosa was receiving housing assistance from the Ventura Housing Authority based on reported household composition and annual household income which did not include her boyfriend, Jaime Maravilla.

District Attorney Investigators learned that Sosa's boyfriend had been living as an unreported occupant in her residence beginning around January 2004. Following the execution of a search warrant at Sosa's residence on December 21, 2006, documentary evidence was discovered which supported the fact that Sosa's boyfriend had been living in the residence and was gainfully employed. Sosa failed to report to the Ventura Housing Authority and the Human Services Agency that her boyfriend was living at the residence and did not report his earned income as required by both assistance programs. Sosa knowingly made false and fraudulent representations about her household composition and household income so she would continue to receive housing and welfare assistance. Sosa received $16,044 in public housing assistance and $2,077 in welfare assistance for which she was not legally eligible.

On January 22, 2008, Judge Bruce Clark placed Sosa on felony probation for three years. Additionally, Judge Clark ordered Sosa to serve 150 days in the Ventura County Jail, pay restitution of $16,193.19 to the Ventura Housing Authority, and pay restitution of $2,077.00 to the Human Services Agency. Sosa will begin serving her jail sentence on February 5, 2008.