Former IT worker scammed prison out of thousands for personal use, prosecutor says
A former IT worker at a federal prison in South Carolina could wind up behind bars after he was charged with multiple crimes related to a scam where he stole thousands of dollars for personal gain, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Jonathan Kent Owens used his position as an information technology specialist at the Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield to falsely report and disguise purchases he made for the prison that were actually for himself, acting U.S. Attorney M. Rhett DeHart said in a news release.
Owens, a 39-year-old North Augusta resident, was charged with five counts of mail fraud, one count of theft of government property, and one count of theft of government funds, according to the release.
Over a 5-year period, Owens is accused of using the scam to buy $21,000 worth of items he made look like legitimate purchases for the prison, according to the release. Among the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, some of the things Owens bought that were actually for himself were a truck suspension lift kit, sunglasses, wading boots, shoes, and clothing.
Owens also is accused of falsifying his time and attendance records to get paid for about 120 hours of overtime that he didn’t actually work, according to the seven-count indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Owens faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 2:37 PM.
