Pubdate: Sun, 06 Sep 2009
Source: Williamsport Sun-Gazette (PA)
Copyright: 2009 Williamsport Sun-Gazette
Contact: http://www.sungazette.com/asp/forms/letters_form.asp
Website: http://www.sungazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3630
Author: R.A. Walker

DRUG USERS TELL OF SOCIAL SECURITY ABUSE

There was disturbing testimony this past week during  the drug trial 
in U.S. Middle District Court of  now-admitted drug dealer Dorothy 
Robinson, not the  least of which were revelations about Social 
Security  disability benefits fueling drug habits and money  intended 
for the care of children being siphoned off to  pay drug tabs.

The testimony of at least three witnesses included  statements about 
turning over Social Security money and  checks to pay for drugs 
supplied on credit, often at  jacked-up prices.

The trial ended with a guilty plea avoiding a possible  life sentence 
for Robinson, had she been found guilty  of all the alleged drug 
offenses, and she is protected  from further prosecution in 
connection with the drug  conspiracy detailed during trial; but the 
plea agreement she signed made clear she and others involved  in the 
conspiracy are not protected from action by the  Internal Revenue 
Service or Social Security  Administration.

According to www.social security.gov, "the penalty upon  conviction 
for violation of the penal provisions of the  Social Security Act, or 
one of the related provisions  of the Federal Criminal Code 
(includes) a fine,  imprisonment, or both."

Robinson was listed as a payee for at least two of her  alleged drug 
clients, and the Social Security handbook  describes the possible 
"penalties for misused Social  Security or SSI funds (by) a 
representative payee."

According to the handbook, such cases can be referred  for criminal 
prosecution, and "the penalty upon  conviction for a payee's misuse 
of funds may be a fine  of up to $250,000, imprisonment up to 10 
years, or  both."

In addition, "when the case is not criminally  prosecuted, SSA may 
impose a civil monetary penalty up  to $5,000 for each payment or 
partial payment misused  and an assessment of not more than twice the 
amount of  the misused benefits."

Whether Robinson or any of her customers face 
potential  repercussions for the use of SSI money remains to 
be  seen, but testimony indicated Robinson was listed as  payee for 
some of her drug customers at 725 High St.,  an alleged rooming house 
for crack users witnesses  claimed Robinson and co-defendant Earl 
Sampson  controlled.

Witness and co-defendant Karen Sampson testified  Robinson handled 
her check, deducting her drug bills;  and prosecution witness Guy 
Tedesco described  overhearing a conversation during which 
Robinson  allegedly explained that a deaf-mute tenant of the 
High  Street property could not buy his drugs anywhere else.

"You can't go anywhere else to get drugs ... We get  your 
(disability) check," Robinson was quoted as saying  to the man.

According to Sampson, Robinson, also known as "Mae Mae"  like her 
mother and grandmother before her, was her  designated payee for 
Social Security disability  payments related to "seizure (and) 
bipolar disorder and  stuff like that," as well as the care of her 
four  children.

She claimed Robinson paid the bills in the beginning  but as time 
went on much of the "little over $3,000"  she received monthly went 
to pay for her crack cocaine  habit, often at higher than normal 
prices because she  was allowed drugs on credit.

In addition, Sampson said she and others regularly  worked cleaning 
Robinson's properties in exchange for  drugs, and crack rooming house 
resident Tony Smith said  he did maintenance work for Robinson in 
exchange for  drugs and gave co-defendant Earl Sampson (the husband 
of Karen Sampson) his disability money.

He said Sampson, who is scheduled to go on trial next  month, would 
give him about $50 in spending money each  month and keep the rest to 
cover what he allegedly owed  for drugs.

Sampson said almost all his check went to his wife and Robinson.

"I was eating (at) this soup kitchen," he said, "(and)  sometimes 
Dorothy would buy me food."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart