Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a former Phoenix Rescue Mission employee will go to prison for 3.5 years for stealing social security benefits from the homeless. A judge sentenced Sergio Solorzano after he pled guilty to an Attempted Fraud Scheme, Theft, and Taking the Identity of Another. The Court also ordered Solorzano to pay all three victims $61,286.47 in restitution.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office indicted Solorzano after an investigation determined Solorzano stole more than $61,000 in social security benefits from three different homeless men that lived at the Phoenix Rescue Mission ("PRM") from January 2013 to October 2015. PRM is a non-profit organization that offers services for homeless men and women. Solorzano was an employee at PRM since 2002. Solorzano had access to all personal identifying information of residents living at PRM and collected the mail at PRM. Solorzano would intercept the mail and steal the social security money sent to the victims. Solorzano will serve two probation terms upon his release from prison.
Special Agent Madison McDonald with the Attorney General’s Office Special Investigation Section was the lead investigator on this case.
Assistant Attorney General Shawn Steinberg prosecuted this case.