Federal Grand Jury Issues Nine Indictments
A Tyler federal grand jury issued indictments late Tuesday to nine people, including two Jacksonville men charged with filing false claims to FEMA after Hurricane Katrina.
Jerry William Bovard Sr., 20, of Jacksonville, was indicted with mail fraud and filing a false claim with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In September 2005, he allegedly submitted a disaster assistance claim, claiming he suffered tornado and wind damage during Hurricane Katrina while living in New Orleans.
Bovard was paid $2,000 in aid but an investigation later revealed he did not reside in Louisiana during the hurricane but was living in the Tyler/Jacksonville area, according to information from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Joe Mastin Murray, 45, of Jacksonville, was also indicted on charges of mail fraud and filing a false claim with FEMA. According to the indictment, he submitted a disaster assistance claim in September 2005, claiming his New Orleans home suffered tornado and wind damage during Katrina. Murray was paid $2,000 in aid but officials later found he lived in the Tyler/Jacksonville area, not Louisiana as he had claimed.
Marian Harrist, 48, of Nash, was indicted on 16 counts of wire fraud. Ms. Harrist and other unknown co-conspirators searched Internet classified Web sites for merchandise or services for sale.
The defendant allegedly contacted the sellers, offered to buy the items, then sent the sellers a counterfeit check or money order in an amount higher than the selling price. Ms. Harrist allegedly asked the sellers to wire her the difference between the sale price and the excess amount she paid to cover the expenses related to the purchase. The defendant allegedly wired a certain amount of the proceeds received from the sellers to unknown co-conspirators in Africa and kept a certain amount for herself. The seller was left responsible for any loss attributable to the counterfeit check or money order they deposited.
Jitendra Ravani, 58, of Plano, was indicted for attempted arson of a competitor's business. He is also charged with allegedly burning his own convenience store which resulted in destruction of the building.
Hector Hugo Galdindo-Becerra, 20, of Longview, was charged with using fraudulent immigration documents and a Social Security card to obtain employment.
Ryan Fountain, 30, of Nacogdoches, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. On Feb. 8, Nacogdoches police responded to a welfare concern at his residence. Officers allegedly recovered six guns, including a sawed-off rifle, and discovered the man was on felony probation for burglary of a building.
Thomas Gore, 44, of Lake Jackson, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Dec. 8, 2007, the U.S. Forest Service officers responded to a call reporting illegal hunting in the Davy Crockett National Forest in Trinity County. Officers allegedly found Gore with a 30-06 rifle and discovered he had prior felony convictions for delivering drugs.
Michael Cossey, 21, of Texarkana, was indicted for possessing methamphetamine while he was on the Red River Army Depot in Bowie County. He faces up to one year in prison.
Corey James Thrower, 28, Camden, Ark., was charged with possessing with the intent to distribute powder cocaine and possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine in Titus County.
