Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that David B. Watson, Sr., 56, of Madison, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Watson was also ordered to pay about $48,405 in restitution.

According to court records, the defendant conspired with his daughter-in-law to illegally obtain about $48,405 in VA compensation benefits for her. Watson submitted documents to the VA on her behalf, falsely claiming she had suffered from mental disabilities that were connected to her service in the U.S. Army and told her how she should falsely describe her mental condition to VA doctors.

The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the VA Office of the Inspector General.