After girlfriend and roommate are sentenced, man pleads guilty to stealing federal funds
A 27-year-old Sarasota man faces 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft of government property, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida W. Stephen Muldrow announced Tuesday.
In 2013, a search warrant was executed at the Bradenton home of Obenson Cerulist, which he shared with a man named Brandon Taylor. Law enforcement found evidence of drug activity to which Cerulist pleaded guilty and was given a 41-month prison sentence.
Law enforcement also found more than 250 pieces of personal identification information. In 2014, a search warrant was executed at the home of Cerulist’s girlfriend, Loretta Gilchrist, where there were prepaid debit cards and evidence that Cerulist had filed fradulent tax returns.
The Internal Revenue Service estimated they directly lost $156,399.39 due to the fraudulent tax returns.
In August 2016, Taylor was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for his role in stealing government funds. Six months later, Gilchrist was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.
The IRS’s criminal investigation division investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam M. Saltzman prosecuted.
A sentencing date for Cerulisthas yet to be set.
Hannah Morse: 941-745-7055, @mannahhorse
This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "After girlfriend and roommate are sentenced, man pleads guilty to stealing federal funds."