LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Hidden Valley Lake woman was arrested this week on charges that she fraudulently obtained tens of thousands of dollars in welfare benefits during a period of time in which she also was working for the county of Lake.
April Melissa Wilson, 38, was taken into custody on Tuesday morning and booked for felony grand theft, with bail set at $15,000. Jail records show she later posted the required portion of bail and was released.
Lake County Probation officials arrested Wilson, according to her booking records.
Probation is contracted with the Lake County Department of Social Services to conduct welfare fraud investigation services for programs including In-Home Supportive Services.
IHSS is one of the programs from which Wilson is accused of illegally receiving funds, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
In addition to IHSS, Hinchcliff said Wilson wrongfully obtained benefits from North Coast Opportunities' Rural Communities Child Care program.
North Coast Opportunities Web site explains that the Rural Communities Child Care program “provides childcare for low-income families and continuing education for childcare providers.” The program was established in 1975 and is funded through the California Department of Education's Child Development Division.
Hinchcliff said the case against Wilson – which originally was two separate cases – arrived at the District Attorney's Office in December and was just filed.
He said Wilson is charged with 21 counts involving grand theft, welfare fraud, perjury, and making false claims to a public board or officer over a period of time beginning in January 2011 and continuing through November 2015.
During that time, Wilson obtained $33,000 in welfare benefits to which she was not entitled, according to Hinchcliff.
Hinchcliff said there is a co-defendant in the case, Brian Noel Jones, 34, a handyman who also is from Hidden Valley Lake.
Jail records showed that Jones was arrested for grand theft on Tuesday, the same day as Wilson. He also was booked on $15,000 bail and later released.
Wilson's booking sheet lists her occupation as social worker. However, Lake County News was able to confirm that she is not working in that capacity for the county of Lake.
In response to a Public Records Act request from Lake County News, Lake County Human Resources Director Kathy Ferguson confirmed that Wilson is a former county employee.
The dates Ferguson gave for Wilson's employment correspond with the period of time during which Wilson is alleged to have perpetrated the welfare fraud.
Ferguson said Wilson was an office assistant in Social Services from October of 2012 to April of 2013, and began working as a correctional aide for the Lake County Sheriff's Office from June 2014 to April 2015.
In April 2015, she began working as a correctional officer, staying in that position just over a month, going back to the correctional aide position on May 18, 2015, and leaving the county's employment 10 days later, according to Ferguson.
Wilson's arrest records show she is tentatively scheduled for a May 3 court appearance.
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Woman who had worked for Social Services and sheriff's office arrested for welfare fraud
- Elizabeth Larson
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