Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Mother of missing girl sentenced for welfare fraud
|
May 28, 2012
Elkins, West Virginia: The mother of a 3-year-old girl who went missing eight months ago has been ordered by a federal judge to spend eight months behind bars for welfare fraud.[1]
Lena Lunsford pleaded guilty in January 2012 to selling $114.00 worth of her credit on her food-stamp card for $50.00 cash. Lunsford had been accused of swapping the benefits of her food-stamps for cash five times in two months and was indicted on multiple accounts back in October of 2011.[1]
A federal judge has ordered that Lunsford must begin serving her sentence on June 28, 2012, in addition to serving a year's probation, as well as repaying the amount of $522.82 back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[1]
Lunsford's daughter, Aliayah, disappeared eight months ago from their rented Lewis County home on September 24, 2011. Lunsford told the police that the girl was in her bed at 6:30 am when she checked, and a few hours later when she had checked back, the girl was gone.[1]
FBI authorities and investigators have had a working theory since March 2012 as to what happened to the young girl, but refuse to say whether or not they think young Aliayah may still be alive. No suspects or arrests have yet been made, and when asked about any persons of interest, FBI supervisory agent John Hambrick only said, "It's a small universe."[1]
Lunsford's attorney says that his client has cooperated with all the investigators and is convinced that no blood relative of Aliayah knows anything of her disappearance.[1]
Lena Lunsford divorced her husband, Ralph Keith Lunsford, after her daughter disappeared. Since then, U.S. Magistrate John Kaull has ordered Lena Lunsford to live apart from Ralph Keith Lunsford, after he admitted to buying and using bath salts, a synthetic drug.[1]
See also
Footnotes
| |||||
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia
State courts:
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia • West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals • West Virginia Circuit Courts • West Virginia Family Courts • West Virginia Magistrate Courts • West Virginia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in West Virginia • West Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in West Virginia
