CENTRAL SQUARE, OSWEGO CO. -- A Central Square man is accused of illegally obtaining food stamps and Medicaid.
56-year-old Douglas Spears, of CR 12 Bldg. 2165 Apt. Upper, is charged with welfare fraud, grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies.
He's accused of receiving more than $4,000 in food stamp and Medicaid benefits from the Oswego County Department of Social Services.
Spears was arraigned in the Village of Central Square Court and released on his own recognizance. He's due back in Mexico Town Court on November 29.
This certainly isn't the first case of welfare fraud we've seen locally. On Wednesday, we told you about three Oswego County women accused of welfare fraud. The day before, an Oswego man was charged with trying to abuse the system. And those are just cases we've told you about locally this week.
Those arrests come on the heels of a big welfare fraud bust across Central New York. Last month, we told you how 80 people were arrested in five local counties for welfare fraud.
Prosecutors are promising tougher sentences for offenders, and police plan to use better computer software to track down the crooks.
Does it seem like we're seeing more cases these days? Why? Leave your thoughts below.
