Fresno Women found Guilty of Stealing EBT Benefits

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A former county worker has been convicted of stealing from the area's most needy. A jury returned a verdict after deliberating a few hours finding Anna Rosales guilty of stealing food stamps from county families.

Anna Rosales showed no emotion as the jury's seven guilty verdicts were read Thursday afternoon. Action News cameras were rolling when investigators arrested Rosales in January at the County's Employment and Temporary Assistance Office in Selma. The DA's office says she used her position to steal people's food stamp benefits by taking their EBT cards.

Prosecutor Arturo Corona says her conviction sends a message, "We take those type of things very seriously, just like all type of charges, but we are going to follow through. If there is evidence of fraud, we are going to follow through."

Rosales testified in her own defense. Her Attorney Kojo Moore blames another county employee for stealing the government benefits. Moore said, "It was a question of using electronic benefits transfer card. She received the card from someone else so; she never knew it was stolen."

Rosales now faces 16 years in prison. She will learn her punishment in late December.

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