CBP officer indicted on theft, false statements charges

Indictment alleges that a CBP officer who worked in Canada kept U.S. government allowances for a home lease and children’s schooling.    A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is being indicted for allegedly converting federal funds to his own use, with concealing material facts from CBP and making false representations to CBP, Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced Thursday.
   Daniel Lerchbacker of Conroe, Texas, was charged with three counts of theft for allegedly failing to pay three Canadian entities for expenses that the U.S. had already provided funds to cover and for collecting federal funds to which he knew he wasn’t entitled, DOJ said in a press release.
   Lerchbacker also was charged with two counts of false statements for allegedly submitting to CBP copies of checks as proof of payment, despite knowing such payments hadn’t been made, DOJ said.
   While stationed in Canada as a CBP officer between December 2015 and December 2017, Lerchbacker allegedly received from the U.S. foreign monetary allowances for the lease of his family’s residence and private school education expenses for his children, DOJ said, citing the indictment.
   Lerchbacker during that time received the full amount of federal funds he requested, but allegedly failed to pay a property management company and two private schools a total of approximately $54,460.99 (CAD), DOJ said.
   Lerchbacker also allegedly requested, collected and retained from the U.S. approximately $24,230.50 (CAD) in advance funds for educational expenses for his children while knowing he was going to leave Canada before the end of the school year, DOJ said.
   DOJ noted that an indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
   The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.