Man sentenced in fraud

A 26-year-old Little Rock man who in January admitted being part of a scheme to steal federal funds meant for providing food for poor children was sentenced Friday to 2½ years in prison.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Miller also ordered Michael Lee to repay $660,428.07 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provided the state-administered funds through its Child and Adult Care Feeding Program.

Lee pleaded guilty Jan. 4 to 20 counts of wire fraud, admitting that between March 2012 and May 2014, he fraudulently sought reimbursement for feeding hundreds of children in Arkadelphia and Little Rock.

While up to 20 children had been seen eating at one time at the Arkadelphia site, he received reimbursement for providing meals for between 115 and 450 children at a time there.

At a Little Rock site he later operated, he was reimbursed for serving 76 to 350 children at a time, when no children were ever seen at the location, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jana Harris told Miller.

Lee was a state-approved sponsor of a government program that provided after-school snacks and summer meals for low-income children. However, it turned out he was one of several people approved as sponsors by two Arkansas Department of Human Services employees who administered the program and who later pleaded guilty to participating in a fraud conspiracy.

Standing before Miller on Friday alongside defense attorney Stuart Vess, Lee apologized for participating in the scam.