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A former Bonner County Sheriff’s deputy’s sentencing was postponed Friday in federal court in Spokane when the judge requested more information on the man’s health.
Here’s Thomas Clouse’s report:
“James M. Sebero, 59, (shown above in 2008) previously pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of more than $1.5 million in benefits by claiming to be a paraplegic, according to indictments filed last year in Idaho and Eastern Washington federal courts.
The scheme fell apart after federal agents, investigating Sebero for fraudulently performing annual airplane inspections, learned he’d been receiving VA benefits since 1976, a year after he ended a six-year stint in the Air Force at Fairchild Air Force Base.
Sebero — who later worked as a marine deputy, operated heavy equipment, became a pilot and owned several businesses — has pleaded guilty to the inspection case, lying to the government and 55 counts of wire fraud, which was part of the scheme that netted him about $6,300 a month in disability payments.
He faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Justin Quackenbush said Friday he needed more information about Sebero’s physical condition before deciding how long a sentence to impose and to which federal facility Sebero will be sent.
No date was set for the sentencing, which includes assurances that Sebero will reimburse the government $950,000 and forfeit his residences in Sandpoint and Spokane. He has already sold four cars, including a Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, a 40-foot boat and helicopter, according to court testimony.
Sebero — who walked with the aid of arm-brace crutches — had no comment after the hearing.”
Read past coverage of the case here.
Reporter Meghann Cuniff writes about public safety news from the Inland Northwest and beyond.
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lewis8457 on July 26 at 3:30 p.m.
I have a friend who works for DSHS food stamp program and when he was a new employee and still had some motivation from his private sector days. He had a applicant that had been on Medicare for 18 years, as well as financial assistance and food stamps, after reviewing this applicants file he found the applicant had 3 businesses and 2 brand new cars. I wonder of this is the same guy. Anyway when my friend brought this to the attention of his supervisor he was told don’t make waves.