(WNY News Now) – Two Dunkirk residents face federal charges for allegedly defrauding the Puerto Rico Department of Labor during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Lamont Brown, 37, and Jesus Ramos, 41, both of Dunkirk, New York, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and theft of government funds, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced Wednesday. The charges carry maximum penalties of five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

According to the indictment, from July to October 2020, Brown and Ramos allegedly conspired with others to use personal information of individuals who had never lived or worked in Puerto Rico to apply for unemployment benefits from the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources. They reportedly provided this information—including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth—to accomplices in Puerto Rico, who submitted applications for unemployment insurance.

The indictment states that the defendants used existing bank accounts or opened new accounts at Lake Shore Savings Bank, Key Bank, and Inner Lakes Federal Credit Union to deposit the unemployment checks. Brown and Ramos are accused of stealing or attempting to steal approximately $67,000 from the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources.

The defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and released under certain conditions.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, led by Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, led by Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone in the Northeast Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright is prosecuting the case. As are all persons accused of a crime, the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.