MONROE - A Monroe man was sentenced Tuesday in Green County Circuit Court to one year in jail and five years of probation for a felony conviction of Medicaid fraud.
Anthony R. Anglin, 29, is also ordered to pay back more than $100,000 in restitution.
A state investigation found his now-defunct transportation service for Medicaid patients billed the program in 2009 and 2010 for many trips that in reality never occurred.
"This wasn't just a mistake. This was intentional defrauding of Medicaid," said case prosecutor Jeff Gabrysiak, the state assistant attorney general.
The judge agreed.
"It wasn't a one-time bad judgment. This is obviously a chronic case," said Judge Thomas Vale, and the amount of money Anglin fleeced from the state is "huge," especially for taxpapers.
"That ultimately is who you are stealing from," Vale said.
In determining the sentencing, Vale said he considered Anglin's past financial crimes. Anglin was convicted when he was 17 of a felony charge of forgery and a misdemeanor charge of credit card fraud.
Anglin's Class H felony conviction for Medicaid fraud carries a prison sentence of up to six years, but Vale said a jail sentence with work-release privileges made better sense considering Anglin has more than $100,000 yet to pay the court and two children to support.
Defense attorney Joseph Pecora pointed to Anglin's longtime involvement in Monroe's EMS and fire department. Currently Anglin serves as a volunteer firefighter.
"He's been a very productive member of this community," Pecora said.
When Vale gave him the opportunity to say something, Anglin apologized for the crime.
"I became overwhelmed," he told the judge. As for the restitution, he said he's currently in the process of selling his possessions on Craigslist.
"Every asset, everything I have is literally listed for sale. I will pay every penny," Anglin said.
Anglin's conviction of Medicaid fraud is not his former company's only brush with the law. His bookkeeper and secretary, Michele R. Meighan, 27, Monroe, was charged with 20 felony counts of embezzling business funds.
But the charges were dropped against her on Feb. 22, after she paid restitution and the prosecution decided the criminal case against her was "weak."
"As the case developed, we learned that Ms. Meighan had also had a romantic relationship with Mr. Anglin, and there were occasions when he had willingly helped her out financially, including monies from the business," said Jeffrey Kohl, Green County assistant attorney general.
"The complaint by him to police had only occurred after they had broken up, and of course after she was no longer his bookkeeper. Thus, it appeared we had a weak case for going to trial," he said.
Anglin is ordered to begin his jail time on April 6.
Anthony R. Anglin, 29, is also ordered to pay back more than $100,000 in restitution.
A state investigation found his now-defunct transportation service for Medicaid patients billed the program in 2009 and 2010 for many trips that in reality never occurred.
"This wasn't just a mistake. This was intentional defrauding of Medicaid," said case prosecutor Jeff Gabrysiak, the state assistant attorney general.
The judge agreed.
"It wasn't a one-time bad judgment. This is obviously a chronic case," said Judge Thomas Vale, and the amount of money Anglin fleeced from the state is "huge," especially for taxpapers.
"That ultimately is who you are stealing from," Vale said.
In determining the sentencing, Vale said he considered Anglin's past financial crimes. Anglin was convicted when he was 17 of a felony charge of forgery and a misdemeanor charge of credit card fraud.
Anglin's Class H felony conviction for Medicaid fraud carries a prison sentence of up to six years, but Vale said a jail sentence with work-release privileges made better sense considering Anglin has more than $100,000 yet to pay the court and two children to support.
Defense attorney Joseph Pecora pointed to Anglin's longtime involvement in Monroe's EMS and fire department. Currently Anglin serves as a volunteer firefighter.
"He's been a very productive member of this community," Pecora said.
When Vale gave him the opportunity to say something, Anglin apologized for the crime.
"I became overwhelmed," he told the judge. As for the restitution, he said he's currently in the process of selling his possessions on Craigslist.
"Every asset, everything I have is literally listed for sale. I will pay every penny," Anglin said.
Anglin's conviction of Medicaid fraud is not his former company's only brush with the law. His bookkeeper and secretary, Michele R. Meighan, 27, Monroe, was charged with 20 felony counts of embezzling business funds.
But the charges were dropped against her on Feb. 22, after she paid restitution and the prosecution decided the criminal case against her was "weak."
"As the case developed, we learned that Ms. Meighan had also had a romantic relationship with Mr. Anglin, and there were occasions when he had willingly helped her out financially, including monies from the business," said Jeffrey Kohl, Green County assistant attorney general.
"The complaint by him to police had only occurred after they had broken up, and of course after she was no longer his bookkeeper. Thus, it appeared we had a weak case for going to trial," he said.
Anglin is ordered to begin his jail time on April 6.