Published: December 27, 2007 10:10 am      

Several indicted in various federal court cases in Southern Illinois

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Staff Report

A Southern Illinois man has been charged with child pornography. According to information from Randy G. Massey, acting United States attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Brently Connell Rubsam, 31, of Olney was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a criminal complaint in United States District Court with one count of distribution of child pornography.

Rubsam was arrested on Dec. 20, according to Massey’s office. Following a bond hearing, Rubsam was ordered released on bond, which included electronic monitoring. If convicted, Rubsam faces imprisonment of five to 20 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to lifetime supervised released.

The investigation leading to his arrest was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Southern Illinois Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, the Olney Police Department, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, the Mt. Vernon Police Department and the Southern Illinois University Police Department. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, in which the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement authorities, is actively investigating and prosecuting individuals who produce, distribute or possess child pornography.

In Du Quoin, two residents and a business were indicted on charges of fraud. According to information provided by Massey, Perry County residents Laura Zoller, 38, Tara Prince, 34, and LT Consulting, Inc., of Du Quoin, were each indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, which include 18 counts of mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud.

Each of the counts carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years’ supervised released.

Following a hearing, a federal magistrate judge ordered that Zoller be detained without bond pending trial, while Prince and LT Consulting, Inc., are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on Jan. 2.

Another Southern Illinois man was recently sentenced in a health care fraud prosecution.

Richard Wallace, 67, and Downstate Transportation Services, Inc. of Carterville, were found guilty on Feb. 9 of 18 counts of health care program fraud and mail fraud by a jury in East St. Louis. Wallace was sentenced to 36 months in prison, a $1,800 special assessment and full restitution to the state of Illinois Medicaid program. The charges involved more than $500,000 in excessive claims for mileage in providing government-paid transportation for non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid patients. Downstate Transportation Services, Inc. received five years’ probation, a $7,200 special assessment and full restitution.