PORTLAND (AP) — A Maine man who collected unemployment benefits while behind bars is going back to prison.
Joshua Harwood was sentenced to serve 30 days of a 2 1/2-year prison term after he was convicted of theft by deception for fraudulently receiving thousands of dollars in unemployment insurance payments while he was incarcerated for a prior conviction.
The 35-year-old Harwood, of Georgetown, was also ordered to pay more than $9,000 in restitution, which includes interest and penalties.
Julie Rabinowitz, a spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Labor, tells the Portland Press Herald that the state implemented a prisoner cross-match database system two years ago that allows it to identify inmates who are receiving or trying to apply for unemployment benefits.
The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less