Tamara Smith, a 39-year-old resident of Detroit, has been sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for failing to surrender as ordered by the court. Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced the sentence, which comes on top of Smith's previous 60-month sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Smith was initially sentenced on June 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey. At that time, she was allowed to remain out on bond with the understanding that she would voluntarily surrender to begin her prison term on July 1, 2024. Despite this agreement and acknowledgment of her obligation in court, Smith did not turn herself in as required.
The court issued an arrest warrant on July 2, 2024, after Smith failed to surrender. She was subsequently apprehended by the U.S. Marshal’s Service on July 18, 2024. The new sentence for failing to surrender will run consecutively to her original sentence.
“This case should send a message to anyone who deliberately chooses to violate a court order in a criminal case that you will be punished," said Acting United States Attorney Beck. "Orders of courts must be respected and followed."
Megan Howell from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General also commented: "Tamara Smith has been convicted multiple times of defrauding unemployment insurance (UI) programs... Following her recent conviction and sentencing related to UI fraud charges, she failed to surrender as mandated."
The investigation into Smith's actions was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Corbett.