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Press Release

Harrisburg Man Charged With Unlawfully Exchanging $1.8 Million In Federal Nutrition Assistance Benefits For Cash

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jimmy Tran, age 40, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with the unauthorized use, acquisition, and possession of benefits of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).           

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that Tran, who owned and operated Asia Market in Harrisburg, unlawfully provided cash in exchange for SNAP benefits between January 2017 and August 2020.  The information further alleges that the value of the SNAP benefits exceeded $1.8 million. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations.  All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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Updated September 8, 2021