Brewerton Man Sentenced for Stealing Government Property

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Frederick L. Guth, Jr., age 67, of Brewerton, New York, was sentenced today to three years of probation related to his theft of Social Security retirement benefits.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.

As part of his prior guilty plea, Guth admitted that from November of 2016 until July of 2018, he erroneously received a total of $33,812.00 in Social Security retirement benefits issued under the social security number and name of another person, and that he spent the benefits despite knowing that the benefits were not his and that he was not entitled to them.

In addition to ordering Guth to serve three years’ probation, Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also ordered Guth to pay full restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

This case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.