From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — A manager of a Birmingham grocery store was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 17, on charges of wire fraud and tax fraud.
Motley pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud and one count of wire fraud in July 2022.
“This defendant used his position and took advantage of a program intended to help families in need,” U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who defraud the SNAP program.”
According to court documents, Motley was the manager of the Big B Food Mart located on 24th Street North in Birmingham, which was authorized to accept SNAP benefits.
“This investigation and prosecution should send a strong zero-tolerance message to those individuals engaged in the practice of defrauding the taxpayer-funded SNAP program,” said Salina Walker, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, USDA-Office of Inspector General. “It should also serve as a warning to all stores that participate in the SNAP program as vendors that fraud and trafficking (purchasing those benefits for cash) will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and all its federal, state, and local partners that have a stake in ensuring that fraud is eliminated from taxpayer-funded programs.
Court documents state that between November 2014 and March 2017, Motley unlawfully redeemed SNAP EBT benefits for cash and ineligible items. During this time, SNAP benefits redeemed at Big B Food Mart were 52 times greater than at similarly sized stores in the area.
Motley’s manipulation of the SNAP program resulted in illegal gains of over $4.6 million, according to court documents. Also, in 2015, Motley under-reported to IRS the income he received from redeeming SNAP benefits.
“Motley’s actions enabled himself and others to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is in place to supplement needy families’ food budgets,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Store owners who participate in SNAP should take note that defrauding any government program will carry consequences.”