DEMETRIUS EUGENE: Former State Employee Sentenced to 14 Years State Prison for Massive Public Assistance Fraud

Not a real Home Sweet Home Day Care?

LOS ANGELES – A former state employee convicted of masterminding a massive child care fraud was sentenced today to 14 years in state prison and ordered to make full restitution of more than $1.4 million, the District Attorney’s Office announced. Deputy District Attorney Tamia Hope of the Public Assistance Fraud Division said Demetrius Eugene of Palmdale was sentenced by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Melissa Widdifield. A jury in December convicted the former state Department of Incorporations employee of five counts of grand theft and six counts of perjury. Jurors also found true an allegation that the 40-year-old defendant stole more than $200,000. Eugene pleaded guilty in a separate case to three counts of grand theft and admitted an allegation that he took more than $500,000. Hope said he tried to withdraw that plea today, but the judge denied his motion before sentencing him. Hope said Judge Widdifield ordered Eugene to make full restitution for both cases not to exceed $1,469,895. Eugene set up four home-based child care centers under the name Home Sweet Home Day Care Inc. with family members and friends listed as purported childcare providers for each business. Eugene and his associates offered monetary kickbacks to 38 welfare recipients, who then applied for subsidized childcare. Eugene and his cohorts falsified paperwork that the people were employed by Home Sweet Home Day Care as maintenance workers. But authorities believe little legitimate childcare was provided nor were the parents employed.

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