Monongahela Man Accused of Creating and Mailing False Court Documents

PITTSBURGH -- A Washington County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of mail fraud and forging and counterfeiting a Seal of a Court of the U.S., United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The three-count indictment returned yesterday named Steven P. Grados, 51, of Monongahela, Pa.

According to the indictment, Grados created false documents that consisted of a Memorandum opinion and Court Order and mailed them to the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System offices in Harrisburg in order to deceive that office into discontinuing paying a portion of his State Police pension to his former spouse.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years on each count of mail fraud and five years on the single count for forging the signature of a federal judge, a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the three counts, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.