A Lafayette woman has been sentenced by a federal judge to 21 months in prison for Social Security fraud.
Sommers N. Robertson, 45, of Lafayette has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert Summerhays, Western District of Louisiana in Lafayette, to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for false representation of a Social Security number, U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown announced Friday in a news release.
Law enforcement officers encountered Robertson after receiving a complaint that she had leased an apartment under false pretenses, according to evidence presented in court Oct. 12, 2022.
Further investigation revealed active warrants for Robertson's arrest, the new release states.
During her arrest, law enforcement officers found and seized documents from her apartment, Brown wrote, including several driver's licenses, state identification cards, Social Security cards and other documents with identification information of other people.
One of the Social Security cards found in her apartment had the name of someone with the initials MFM. It had been issued Sept. 8, 2022, the release states.
Law enforcement agents and the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General found Robertson on Sept. 8, 2022, met with an SSA service representative in Opelousas claiming to be the person with the initials MFM and requesting a new Social Security card, Brown wrote.
She allegedly provided the SSA representative with false documentation, including a driver's license issued in another state, a place of birth, parents' names and Social Security number. The SSA issued a new card to the address Robertson provided.
Robertson pleaded guilty on May 30, Brown wrote, admitting that she knowingly provided the Social Security Administration with false documents and pretended to be someone else in order to obtain the Social Security card with the intent to deceive.
In 15th Judicial District Court in Lafayette, Robertson is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 14 on various other charges, according to court documents.
She is accused on Feb. 7, 2023, of identity theft over $1,000, a felony, and identity theft under $1,000 from Lowe's, a misdemeanor.
Robertson also is accused of the June 30, 2023, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle from Acadiana RTO, a felony; forgery, a felony; and possession of fraudulent documents, a misdemeanor.
She also is set for trial in October on three felony counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle from Avis Budget Rental on Aug. 15, 2023.
Robertson pleaded not guilty to all the pending charges, court records show.