CHP Dispatcher And Her Felon Husband Charged In Unemployment Scheme: DOJ

LOS ANGELES, CA — A California Highway Patrol dispatcher, her felon husband and a mother-daughter pair were among five Los Angeles County residents arrested in connection to scheme that bilked the federal government of $3.3 million in COVID-19 unemployment benefits using stolen identities, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The defendants were charged with the following crimes by a federal grand jury:

• Janet Clarise Gloria Theus, 44, of Lancaster — four counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of unlawful use of unauthorized access devices
• Diane Clarise Theus, 78, of Lancaster (Janet Theus’ mother) — two counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of unlawful use of unauthorized access devices.
• Dailen Spears, 24, of Carson — one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud
• Erica Abson Robins, 57, of Compton (the CHP dispatcher) — two counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of unlawful use of unauthorized access devices
• Ronald Lee Robins, 62, of Compton (Erica Robins’ husband, who was serving a state prison sentence for first-degree burglary during the scheme) — one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of unlawful use of unauthorized access devices

Between April 2020 and July 2022 the defendants are accused of running a scheme in which they collected names and Social Security numbers to fraudulently receive COVID-19 unemployment benefits, falsely claiming that the applicants had lost jobs because of the pandemic, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors claim that Erica Robins used her position as a CHP dispatcher to search a law enforcement database containing the Social Security number and dates of birth of an inmate in state prison, which she then used to file for the benefits.

At the time, her husband was an inmate at the same prison. While he was behind bars at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, Robins collected Social Security numbers and dates of birth from other inmates, which Janet and Diane Theus then used to withdraw COVID-19 job-loss cash benefits, prosecutors claim.

The Theuses surrendered to authorities Thursday and are set to be arraigned in federal court, prosecutors said.

On Wednesday, the Robins couple were arrested and Spears surrendered to federal authorities. All three pleaded not guilty to all charges, prosecutors said.

Erica Robins and Spears were ordered released on $10,000 bond. A detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday for Ronald Robins, who remains in federal custody, prosecutors said.

If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face up to 30 years in federal prison for each bank fraud-related count. Janet and Diane Theus, and Erica and Ronald Robins would face up to 10 years in federal prison for unlawful use of unauthorized access devices if convicted, prosecutors said.