Department of Employment Security Commissioner George Copadis and Attorney General Joseph A. Foster announce that Jessica McDevitt of Portland, Maine pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 2 counts of a class A felony identity fraud. Between April 6, 2014 and May 19, 2014, Ms. McDevitt posed as another with the purpose to defraud the Department of Employment Security in order to obtain weekly unemployment compensation benefits. As a result, she fraudulently received $560.00 in unemployment benefits.

On 1 count, Ms. McDevitt was sentenced to 12 months in the House of Corrections, with all but 10 days suspended for 3 years conditioned on good behavior, meaningful participation in any counseling, treatment and educational programs as directed by the correctional authority and the use of her likeness in the Department of Employment Security Benefits Rights Interview video which discusses the ramifications of committing unemployment fraud. Ms. McDevitt was ordered to pay full restitution plus a 20% penalty for a total of $672.00 and is disqualified from the receipt of unemployment compensation benefits for 52 weeks. On the 2nd count, Ms. McDevitt was sentenced to 1 to 2 years in the New Hampshire State Prison all suspended for 3 years.

The Department of Employment Security provides unemployment compensation benefits to eligible claimants who are unemployed through no fault of their own. The Department investigates and prosecutes both criminal and civil unemployment compensation fraud with the goal of protecting New Hampshire's unemployment fund.