Mark Alan Barnes, 44, of Candler, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing Social Security benefits fraud. The sentencing was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, between 2015 and 2020, Barnes unlawfully collected approximately $77,770 in Social Security Retirement Benefits intended for a deceased beneficiary. Rather than notifying the Social Security Administration (SSA) of the beneficiary’s death, Barnes continued to access the benefits using a debit card tied to the deceased’s bank account. He made numerous ATM withdrawals in the local area to siphon the funds for personal use.
Barnes pleaded guilty on February 8, 2025, to theft of government funds.
In a statement following the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Ferguson emphasized that defrauding the Social Security system harms all taxpayers and undermines a program designed to support Americans who have rightfully earned those benefits.
Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, noted that Barnes knowingly engaged in a scheme to steal benefits and thanked the investigative and prosecutorial teams for ensuring accountability.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick. Frick is a prosecutor from the SSA assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, where he focuses specifically on cases involving Social Security fraud.
This prosecution is part of a broader effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina to combat theft of government funds and safeguard programs that millions of Americans depend on.
