United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, June 26, 2006, that Nancy Bowen, a former resident of Mays Landing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of Interstate Transportation of Counterfeit Checks and Submitting False Claim Against the United States.
Bowen, age 43, who is currently incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail pleaded guilty to two counts before Chief United States District Judge Donetta Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway advised the court that Bowen participated in two fraudulent schemes. In the first scheme, over a three year period, she passed approximately 700 counterfeit checks, totaling in excess of $100,000, at retail establishments in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and West Virginia. In the second scheme, she submitted approximately thirteen false tax returns for herself and others that falsely claimed refunds of approximately $70,000.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for September 29, 2006. The law provides for a total sentence of fifteen years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bowen with regard to the counterfeit check portion of the case, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with regard to the false claims portion of the case. The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania is comprised of United States Postal Inspectors, Special Agents of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Investigators from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, and Detectives from Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.
