Missing Teen, Erica Parsons’ Adoptive Parents Arrested After Appearing On Dr. Phil [Video]

Exactly one year after missing teen Erica Parsons was reported missing, her adoptive parents have been arrested in a 76-count federal criminal indictment charging them with fraud, as reported by WBTV.

On July 30, 2013, Erica’s brother, Jamie Parsons, reported her missing. He reported that she had not been seen by immediate family members at the family home since November, 2011. Erica was 13-years-old at the time of her disappearance.

Casey and Sandy say they’ve done nothing wrong. They allegedly took Erica to live with someone they believed to be her biological grandmother, by the name of “Nan,” but that was not true, according to WCNC.

The family attorney, Carlyle Sherrill, professes that Sandy and Casey Parsons made a mistake in identity, and last September when they discovered the grandmother (Nan) wasn’t who they thought she was, they realized they had “sent Erica off with someone they didn’t know,” as reported by WCNC. The Parsons, however, continued to receive financial benefits as if Erica were still living in the home during this entire time. Although Sherrill claims it was their legal right to receive those checks since they were considered the legal caregivers of Erica.

Nevertheless, investigators found it suspicious when the Parsons’ home was searched on August 14, when they “failed to locate any evidence of Erica Parsons still living here or any evidence that her room or personal living area still remained in the home,” per WBTV. The investigators came to the conclusion that Sandy and Casey knew that Erica would not be coming back.” Yet they still continued to collect money.

The SBI (State Bureau of Investigations), according to WBTV, believes that “the continued desire to utilize the funds, proceeds, or financial assistance intended for the care and benefit of Erica Lynn Parsons resulted in the delay or outright denial to report Erica Lynn Parsons missing in a timely or reasonable time frame.”

The indictment for which Sandy and Casey are charged alleges that from the dates of February 2010 to August 2013, Sandy and Casey Parsons committed tax fraud, mail fraud, theft of government funds, identity theft and also engaged in a conspiracy to defraud the government as reported by WSOC-TV.

To be a little more specific, the Parsons received government funded adoption assistance, Social Security, Medicaid, as well as Food and Nutrition Services benefits, all for a dependent that did not live with them. And the Parsons even used the mail to commit the fraud. Allegedly, Casey Parsons also fraudulently used fake identities as dependents in addition to other false information when preparing federal tax returns. A big fat no-no.

According to WSOC-TV, Sandy and Casey Parsons were charged with the following: one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; twenty counts of theft of government funds, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and 20 counts of mail fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The indictment also charges Sandy Parsons with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years, consecutive to any other sentence, and a $250,000 fine; and one count of false statement to a government agency, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Casey Parsons is also charged with one count of false pretense in a health care matter, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; two counts of Social Security fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; fifteen counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory sentence of two years, consecutive to any other sentence, and a $250,000 fine; two counts of false statement to a government agency, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; six counts of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return, each of which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine; six counts of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and one count of making false claim against the government, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Parsons are scheduled to have their initial appearance at 2:30 p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The investigation continues as more evidence is being gathered and analyzed in Erica’s disappearance. But investigators are keeping quite about what they have found, “including red stains found on the floorboards inside the family home, per WCNC.

The on-going investigation includes the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, State Bureau of Investigations and Criminal Investigations.

They won’t close this case until they find Erica Parsons.

Photo Credit: RainyDayGossip.BlogSpot.com and WBTV.Com