United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Federal Prison for Using
Stolen Red Cross Debit Card Intended for Hurricane Evacuees

Dallas resident, Abram Wesley Hines, was sentenced today to 10 months imprisonment, following his guilty plea in October 2006 to one count of fraudulent use of access devices, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. Hines has been in custody since his arrest in August 2006.

Abram Wesley Hines, age 25, is the brother of Brian Oneal Hines, age 21, and Charmaine Denise Hines, age 32, who are currently serving federal prison sentences for stealing and using at least 80 Red Cross debit cards intended for hurricane evacuees. Brian Oneal Hines was both a paid Red Cross temporary worker and an unpaid Red Cross volunteer. Last year, Brian and Charmaine Hines each pled guilty to one count of fraudulent use of an access device. Brian Oneal Hines was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $202,984 in restitution. Charmaine Denise Hines was sentenced to a total of 41 months imprisonment (26 months in this case and an additional, consecutive 15 months in an un-related federal case) and ordered to pay $23,240 in restitution.

Abram Wesley Hines admitted in documents filed in Court that in October 2005, he used a stolen Red Cross debit card to make a fraudulent $4,600 cash withdrawal from an ATM at Chase Bank in Dallas, and used those funds to purchase various items. At today’s sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis, evidence was presented that Hines received approximately $15,000 in the form of cash, credit cards and an automobile as a result of the fraud.

In September 2005, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force --- chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division --- includes the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Executive office for United States Attorneys and others.

U.S. Attorney Roper also praised the investigative efforts of the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Jarvis.

# # #