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Seven individuals face charges in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, for their alleged involvement in a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) trafficking operation. The Quick Stop Convenience Store in Steelton, owned by Solanyi Ramos, is at the center of the investigation. Ramos, along with employees Rafael Jermaine Powell, Wilson Javier Garcia Matteo, and Beatriz Rosario Acosta, allegedly exchanged SNAP benefits for cash, violating program rules.
According to the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG), the scheme involved over $775,000 in fraudulent transactions over three years. SNAP recipients Shawn Van-Jeffrey McCoy, Dorothy A. Wilson, and Shariah Denise Kiser are also charged for their participation.
The OSIG and Dauphin County District Attorney's Office have been investigating the case for several years. They allege that the store accepted SNAP benefits despite Ramos being permanently banned from the program. In such schemes, stores typically process a transaction for a higher amount than the cash given to recipients, profiting from the difference without providing food.
State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry emphasized Pennsylvania's commitment to combating public assistance fraud, noting that such operations exploit both taxpayers and those in need. If convicted, the defendants could be required to pay restitution to reimburse the stolen public benefits. The investigation is ongoing, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.