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Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker sentenced Sir John Ashley Holliday, 28, of Dallas, Texas, to two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds, and ordered him to pay $13,191 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
At his change of plea hearing before Judge Baker on May 19, 2016, Holliday admitted that he stole patient names and social security numbers that he obtained during his employment at the State Hospital.
Holliday used the stolen information to file fraudulent federal income tax returns in the patients’ names which claimed refunds on wages never actually earned.
Holliday then obtained refunds from the fraudulent returns in the form of debit cards totaling $13,191, which he later spent as his own.
Holliday pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds.
The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year term in prison, to be served consecutively to any other related sentence.
Holliday was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
Holliday's attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Latrece Gray, gave U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker several letters written in support of Holliday, including one from his current employer, who wasn't identified. She told the judge Holliday has changed since he committed the crimes in 2011 and wants a chance to prove he now knows the difference between right and wrong.
"I'm sorry for my mishap for everybody that I became a problem to," Holliday said from a courtroom lectern.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Morgan didn't object to Gray's request for the minimum sentence, but said that despite the "relatively small" amount of money involved, the crime is a "serious offense."
He said the identity theft was "particularly egregious, especially because the victims were patients of a psychiatric ward."
The patient demographic of the Arkansas State Hospital is not reflective of wealthy or even employed individuals. Most are indigent, on government assistance, or prisoners awaiting a court ordered psychiatric observation.
Baker sentenced Holliday to one day in prison for theft of government funds and two years for the identity theft. She also ordered him to make full restitution to the IRS and to serve three years on supervised release after his prison term.
The crime was investigated by the FBI, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Secret Service.
In 2011, the Arkansas Disability Rights Center of Arkansas released a scathing
report that detailed a long history of systematic failures at the DHS operated facility.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Continuing Systemic Failures at the Arkansas State Hospital
