A Rochester man was sentenced today to over 12 years in federal prison for his role in a scheme to defraud COVID-19 pandemic relief programs and for possessing child sexual abuse material, according to U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young.
Heath Gauthier, 48, received a 145-month prison sentence from U.S.
District Court Judge Laplante and will be subject to five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Gauthier was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $202,507, with the majority, $196,507, going to the Small Business Administration and $6,000 to two survivors of child sexual abuse.
Gauthier had pleaded guilty on Feb. 22 to charges including wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Young emphasized the severity of Gauthier’s crimes, highlighting that he had more than a thousand images of child sexual abuse and exploited the identities of others to fraudulently obtain pandemic relief funds meant for struggling individuals and businesses.
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, Jodi Cohen, condemned Gauthier’s actions as disgraceful, noting that he possessed over 1,500 images of child sexual abuse and stole identities from more than ten deceased individuals to defraud government programs. --->READ MORE HERE
An Easton man has found himself entangled in a legal battle, facing new charges in a superseding indictment related to an alleged scheme exploiting COVID relief funds. Bill Dessaps, 47, is accused of using Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds to purchase a home in a relative's name, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The latest indictment introduced a second count of wire fraud conspiracy against Dessaps, who had already been indicted back in January 2024 on multiple counts, including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and bank fraud. In the same month, five other individuals were charged in connection with the alleged PPP fraud operation. In an elaborate ruse, Dessaps, who runs a used car dealership in Abington, purportedly worked alongside conspirators in Massachusetts and Florida to submit a falsified PPP application, claiming the business had 40 employees with substantial monthly payroll costs, as the charging documents assert.
The fraudulent maneuver reportedly netted Dessaps an $836,800 loan. It's further alleged that after cashing in on the funds, the Easton man shelled out kickbacks to collaborators and funneled some of the proceeds into a joint account controlled by himself and the relative purported to be a straw buyer. The scheme also involved Dessaps and a real estate agent, who are accused of filing false mortgage applications and forging documents to exaggerate the relative's financial status to secure a $750,000 house. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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