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A Portage County man who orchestrated a financial conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been sentenced to prison.

A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Anthony Mark Silva, 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, charging him with nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Lester John Parker, Jr. (55, Lehigh Acres) to ten years and one month in federal prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. Parker pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Baltimore, Maryland – Duane Watts, 46, and Donna Jones, 59, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Watts and Jones, along with their co-conspirators, used the UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed persons due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal enrichment.

Briauna Adams, 29, Kansas City, Mo., woman sentenced to 11 years imprisonment for her leadership role in two cases that resulted in more than $500,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and more than $3,000,000 in stolen Treasury checks.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Terry Chen, 25, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims.