Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Tom Weschler, Chief, City of Naples Police Department, announce that Marie Jean Baptiste, 22, of North Miami, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Baptiste was previously convicted by a federal jury of three counts of stealing tax refunds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 641 and 2.

According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Baptiste received four tax refunds that she knew were stolen and converted them for her own use and gain. Baptiste participated in a scheme in which fraudulent tax returns were filed directing the tax refunds to be directly deposited into her bank account. After the tax refunds were deposited into her bank account, Baptiste would withdraw the tax proceeds from the bank and various ATMs for her own use and gain.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and the City of Naples Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gera R. Peoples.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.