The owner of a Missouri convenience store was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for accepting $550,000 in illegal food stamps transactions at his store, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Patrick Buck of Cape Girardeau Mo., pleaded guilty in May to running a felony fraud scheme for four years between 2010 and 2014, where he redeemed food stamps illegally. He redeemed food stamps for cash, and also allowed people to purchase alcohol, tobacco, cell phones and other items banned from the food stamps program, according to his indictment. (RELATED: Missouri Man Pleads Guilty To $550K Food Stamp Scheme)
Buck must also pay $550,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He pleaded guilty to four counts of felony fraud, and could have been sentenced a maximum penalty of five years in prison, plus an additional $250,000 for each felony.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called food stamps, is designed to help low-income families and individuals purchase food. The long list of items prohibited in the program includes alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and non-food items. It is also illegal to redeem the benefits for cash.
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