DOJ: Fresno man sentenced for theft of public money
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Fresno man was sentenced for conspiracy, theft of public money, and aggravated identity theft, the United States Department of Justice said on Monday.
According to court documents, between June 2020 and January 2022, 44-year-old Jeffrey Michalk of Fresno worked with Fresno residents 41-year-old Steve Gomez and 49-year-old Michael Dugan to cash counterfeit U.S. Treasure checks throughout the Central Valley.
The DOJ says this included approximately 264 fraudulent checks and a loss amount of over $500,000. The trail of counterfeit checks spanned different counties and involved checks forged to be made payable to the defendants and others.
“Today’s sentence is a reminder that the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to aggressively investigating those who commit financial crimes impacting the tax administration and victimizing the citizens of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari. “This case demonstrates the investigative capabilities and dedication of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration special agents. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to protecting the financial infrastructure of the United States by pursuing individuals that abuse the tax administration to further their identity theft schemes.”
According to the DOJ, Michalk was sentenced to three years and nine months. Gomez and Dugan have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2024, and Feb. 26, 2024, respectively.
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