Nine people, including a Picayune resident, were charged with submitting false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Mississippi Development Authority, the Small Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture for Hurricane Katrina funds.

The charges were announced Aug. 9, in a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Mississippi. U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton announced the following names and charges brought against them in the press release.

Nelda Karen Fowler of Picayune, has been indicted on a ten count charge of filing false claims with FEMA for disaster assistance, making false claims to FEMA, theft of government funds and committing wire fraud, according to the press release. If convicted Fowler could face up to 80 years in prison and fines equaling up to $2.25 million.

Lisa D. Worthington of Evergreen, Alabama is charged in a ten count indictment with filing a false claim for government benefits, theft of government funds, making false statements to FEMA, mail fraud and wire fraud. If convicted on each count, Worthington faces a maximum of 140 years imprisonment and up to $2 million in fines.

Nealie Rudolph of Moss Point is charged in a seven count indictment with filing a false claim for government benefits, theft of government funds, making false statements to FEMA, and mail fraud. If convicted on each count, Rudolph faces up to 80 years imprisonment and up to $1.5 million in fines.

Ronnie R. Ford of Saucier, is charged in an eight count indictment with filing a false claim for disaster assistance, making false statements to FEMA, theft of government funds, and wire fraud. If convicted on each count, Ford faces up to 100 years imprisonment and up to $1.75 million in fines.

Wesley R. Ford III is charged in a five count indictment with filing a false claim with FEMA, making a false statement to FEMA, wire fraud, and theft of U.S. government funds. If convicted, Ford faces up to 40 years imprisonment and up to $1 million in fines.

Jacquelyn Roton of Biloxi, is charged in a five count indictment with filing a false claim with FEMA, theft of U.S. government funds, making a false statement to FEMA, and wire fraud. If convicted, Roton faces up to 40 years imprisonment and up to $1 million in fines.

David Guttierrez, of Pass Christian, is charged in a seven count indictment with filing a false claim with FEMA, making a false statement to FEMA, wire fraud, and theft of U.S. government funds. If convicted, Guttierrez faces up to 80 years imprisonment and up to $1.5 million in fines.

Patricia Spurlock of Bay St. Louis, is charged in a four count indictment with filing false claims with FEMA for disaster assistance, making false statements to FEMA, and theft of government funds. If convicted on each count, Spurlock faces up to 20 years imprisonment and up to $750,000.00 in fines.

Mario LeLeaux of Biloxi, is charged in a seven count indictment with filing false claims with FEMA for disaster assistance, making false statements to FEMA, making false statements to the Mississippi Development Authority for Housing and Urban Development homeowner grant funds, theft of government funds, and food stamp fraud. If convicted on each count, Spurlock faces up to 45 years imprisonment and up to $1.51 million in fines.

The charges contained in these indictments are allegations only and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless convicted at trial, the release states.