6 DCFS Staff Among 13 County Employees Charged with Felony Grand Theft

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed felony grand theft charges, on October 9th and 10th, against twelve Los Angeles County employees from seven different agencies.  

While working for Los Angeles County and receiving County paychecks between 2020 and 2023, the defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department in which they falsely claimed, under penalty of perjury, that they earned less than $600 per week during each two-week claim period. A combined $437,383 in state unemployment benefits were stolen between 2020 and 2023.

Note: ages of those charged range from 34 to 57 years old.   If convicted as charged, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of three years in state prison.  Overall, Los Angeles County public and private employers lost an estimated $10 billion to pandemic-era EDD fraud.

The Department of Children and Family Services has nearly 9,000 employees across 20 regional offices.  Six of the twelve charged worked in departments designed to protect children.

• Donisha Nicole Brumfield (dob 8/13/83). Case 25CJCF06622. Child Support Services Department Secretary. Allegedly stole $39,600 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Jessica Antonia Chandler (dob 5/9/88). Case 25CJCF06623. Department of Children and Family Services Children’s Social Worker. Allegedly stole $48,900 in unemployment benefits between July 12, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 14 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Chandra Kameko Tisdale (dob 2/13/76). Case 25CJCF06645. Department of Children and Family Services Children’s Social Worker. Allegedly stole $57,900 in unemployment benefits between March 22, 2020, and Oct. 23, 2021. The case was filed for warrant.

• Mary Theresa Thomas (dob 3/19/70). Case 25CJCF06637.Department of Children and Family Services Children’s Social Worker. Allegedly stole $10,350 in unemployment benefits between Sept. 24, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2021.Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Shalita Viola Hammell (dob 5/4/79). Case 25CJCF06624.Department of Children and Family Services Human Services Aide. Allegedly stole $35,850 in unemployment benefits between Nov. 6, 2020, and Dec. 2, 2021.Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Toni Chereece Pittmon (dob 8/24/69). Case 25CJCF06638.Department of Children and Family Services Secretary. Allegedly stole $52,950 in unemployment benefits between July 1, 2020, and Dec. 12, 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Other L.A. County agencies and departments.

• Alla Agamalian (dob 3/26/83). Case 25CJCF06620. Justice, Care and Opportunity Department Administrative Services Manager. Allegedly stole $37,800 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023. Arraignment is set for Nov. 13 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Aurora Lopez Bautista (dob 10/28/67). Case 25CJCF06640. Department of Public Social Services Eligibility Worker. Allegedly stole $9,349 in unemployment benefits between April 1, 2020, and Jan. 10, 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 20 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Derrick Anthony Callella (dob 7/25/83). Case 25CJCF06641.Department of Health Services Intermediate Clerk. Allegedly stole $9,984 in unemployment benefits between May 6, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2022.Arraignment is set for Nov. 20 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

• Ivan Jacob Mariscal (dob 12/24/75). Case 25CJCF06639. Department of Public Social Services Eligibility Worker. Allegedly stole $11,700 in unemployment benefits between May 6, 2020, and May 11, 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 13 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. 

• Kelley Collins (dob 4/4/70). Case 25CJCF06631. Department of Public Social Services Eligibility Supervisor. Allegedly stole $56,400 in unemployment benefits between March 8, 2020, and Oct. 15, 2021. The case was filed for warrant. 

• Raquel Martinez-Alvarez (dob 2/21/85). Case 25CJCF06604.Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Non-Sworn Security employee. Allegedly stole $54,900 in unemployment benefits between April 12, 2020, and Oct. 9, 2021. The case was filed for warrant.

The following case was filed on Aug. 19:

• Ynna Aghabegian (dob 11/3/90). Case 25CJCF05281. Department of Auditor-Controller Senior Accountant-Auditor. Allegedly stole $11,700 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 21, 2021, and April 2022. She pleaded not guilty at arraignment on Sept. 24. A preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for Jan. 26 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any known or suspected incidents of fraud, waste, or abuse involving the County to the Fraud Hotline at fraud.lacounty.gov or (800) 544-6861.

LADA Charges 13 LA County Employees with Stealing Over $430,000 in Unemployment Benefits | Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 

See our follow up article on the statistics and mechanics (or as some suggest machinations) of the  Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services | San Fernando Valley News Portal

Edit: added video

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