United States v. Lewis

938 F. Supp. 683, 1996 WL 512086
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedSeptember 3, 1996
DocketNo. 96-1461M
StatusPublished

This text of 938 F. Supp. 683 (United States v. Lewis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Lewis, 938 F. Supp. 683, 1996 WL 512086 (D. Colo. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BORCHERS, United States Magistrate Judge.

THIS MATTER came before the Court for trial in Colorado Springs, Colorado on August 28, 1996. The following persons were present: Carl 0. Graham, Special Assistant United States Attorney; Larry Dean, attorney for Defendant; and Defendant. The Court heard testimony from witnesses for the prosecution, as well as the Defendant. The Court took the matter under advisement at the conclusion of the trial. Further argument will be waived.

I.

The Court has evaluated all of the evidence and makes the following findings. Defendant served on active duty with the United States Army from 1981 through 1993. Upon her release from active duty, Defendant remained in the active reserves of the U.S. Army and was assigned initially to a unit in Georgia. Defendant served in the medical field while in the U.S. Army and is by training a licensed practical nurse (LPN).

During her active duty in the U.S. Army, Defendant met and married Dudley Lewis. Three children were born during the course of the marriage. Dudley Lewis was and is a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and apparently was serving in Germany at all times relevant to this case. The marriage of Defendant and Dudley Lewis ended in a dissolution of marriage approximately two and one-half years prior to the trial in this case.

Defendant moved to the Colorado Springs, Colorado area in early December, 1995. Defendant testified that she had wanted to relocate with her children to Colorado, as she liked the area. Defendant transferred her reserve status to a Denver-based unit known as the 5502nd United States Army Hospital. This unit broke into smaller detachments at the time Defendant was assigned to it, as Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver was being de-activated. As a result, Defendant was assigned to a Colorado Springs detachment that met monthly at the Evans Army Community Hospital (Evans).

In December, 1995, Defendant sought medical care at the emergency room at Evans. Medical staff diagnosed that Defendant was pregnant. When Defendant went to the emergency room on that occasion, she provided Dudley Lewis’ social security number as the basis for eligibility to receive medical care.

In late December, 1995, part of the 5502nd Army Hospital was activated for duty in Germany. The detachment being sent to Germany was to assume a duty station for a regular unit that was being sent to provide support for U.S. troops in Bosnia. During the activation process, Defendant was required to exchange her pink reserve identification card for a green identification card, with the latter being utilized by military personnel on active duty.

The detachment was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for training prior to departure to Germany. Medical staff became aware that Defendant was pregnant and determined that she should not go with the detachment to Germany. Defendant was released from activation and returned home to Colorado Springs.

Defendant’s reserve unit in Colorado Springs drilled on the first weekend in February, 1996. Defendant did not attend that drill. On February 13, 1996, Defendant again sought medical care at Evans for her pregnancy.

[685]*685Defendant’s reserve unit was scheduled to drill on the weekend of March 2-3, 1996. The unit drilled at Evans by providing services on various wards of the hospital. Defendant did not appear for drill on March 2, 1996. At no time did Defendant sign in for drill during that weekend.

On March 3, 1996 Defendant drove to the emergency room at Evans. She was admitted to the hospital as she was having labor pains and cramping. The baby was not due for some time, and Defendant appeared concerned that the child would be bom prematurely.

After admission, Sergeant Lemailoa Tuiasosopo contacted Defendant to complete the paperwork for her entrance into the hospital. Sergeant Tuiasosopo asked Defendant about her eligibility for medical care and was advised that Defendant was a dependent. The Sergeant was provided the social security number of Dudley Lewis, but Defendant was unable to provide any information about Dudley Lewis’ present unit or duty station. At the time of contact by the Sergeant, the computer used to verify eligibility for medical care was not working.1

Sergeant Tuisasosopo became concerned about Defendant’s eligibility for care because of the vagueness of her answers. He confronted her, and Defendant advised him that she had dual eligibility, as she was a reserve non-commissioned officer on active duty. Defendant presented her green identification card to Sergeant Tuiasosopo. The admission process was concluded, and Defendant remained on the labor and delivery ward at Evans.

At approximately 12:00 Noon on March 3, 1996, Defendant was transferred by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. This transfer occurred as that hospital had better facilities to handle a problem pregnancy. Defendant was required to take anti-contraction medications and to remain on bed rest for approximately two weeks. Her fourth child was born in late March, 1996. Though apparently premature, the delivery was normal and the child is healthy.

After Defendant’s discharge from Evans, hospital staff conducted a computer check and determined that Defendant was not eligible for medical care as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. Staff at Evans then sent Defendant a bill for medical services provided on March 3,1996 and referred the matter to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for investigation into possible criminal activity.

After completion of its investigation, the CID investigator presented the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That office chose to proceed by way of a criminal information charging theft under $100 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 641. This charge is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year incarceration and a $100,000 fine. Defendant entered a plea of not guilty, waived her right to a jury trial, and consented to proceed to trial before a United States Magistrate Judge.

II.

Defendant raised two legal issues concerning the charge that must be examined. Each will be dealt with separately:

Medical Services: Defendant argued at the conclusion of the trial that all the prosecution had shown was that medical services were provided on March 3, 1996. Defendant argued that such services were not covered under 18 U.S.C. § 641 (§ 641). Therefore, according to Defendant, no activity prohibited by § 641 occurred on March 3, 1996.

A similar argument was advanced in United States v. May, 625 F.2d 186 (8th Cir.1980). In that case, the defendant was the former adjutant general of the State of Iowa. The evidence presented indicated that he had utilized military aircraft to travel to Florida and elsewhere in order to visit a female friend. After he was charged, the defendant argued that the military aircraft had to be used for training flights anyway and that any benefit he gained was incidental to any training use. Though the Eighth Circuit reversed part of the conviction because of defective instruc[686]*686tions, the court discussed the incidental use concept.

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Morissette v. United States
342 U.S. 246 (Supreme Court, 1952)
Vernon Chappell v. United States
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United States v. Joseph Gale May
625 F.2d 186 (Eighth Circuit, 1980)
United States v. William A. Croft
750 F.2d 1354 (Seventh Circuit, 1985)
United States v. Michael J. Oberhardt
887 F.2d 790 (Seventh Circuit, 1989)
United States v. Shon Brookins
52 F.3d 615 (Seventh Circuit, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
938 F. Supp. 683, 1996 WL 512086, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-lewis-cod-1996.