An Albuquerque police officer with a reputation for controversy finds himself yet again on the wrong side of the law.
Joey Sigala, the former head of the Albuquerque Police Department Union, bonded out of jail Friday morning.
He was arrested and accused of attacking his wife earlier this week.
Now, he and his wife, Lauren, are back in the spotlight again.
http://liarcatchers.com/fraud_investigation.html
Multiple reliable sources confirmed to KOB Eyewitness News 4 that the New Mexico Human Services Department is investigating the couple for possible food stamp fraud.
Matt Kennicott with the Human Services Department would not confirm nor deny a possible investigation involving either member of the Sigala family.
However, Kennicott spoke generally about what allegations of fraudulently obtaining an Electronic Benefit Transfer card could mean.
“People should be obtaining benefits in a lawful way and if they’re not, they need to be punished and prosecuted,” Kennicott said. “For example, if a person is living in a household with two income earners, and they fail to report one of those incomes, that would be a fraudulent way of obtaining benefits.”
In the criminal complaint involving Sigala’s arrest Wednesday night, it describes how Sigala took “money and an EBT card” from his wife Lauren’s purse.
But according to the City of Albuquerque’s website, Sigala’s annual income is more than $50,000.
Additionally, as president of the police union, he made about $26,000 a year on top of his police salary.
Lauren had nothing to say when she was asked about the alleged fight with her husband this week, but she did tell KOB Eyewitness News 4 they are still legally married.
In a household of two, the state’s food stamp program requires the gross annual income be less than $24,000.
Kennicott said if a spouse is living in a different household, benefits can be obtained within a month. But all money, including any money provided by the spouse, must be reported as income.
If this is not the case, and an EBT card is fraudulently obtained, the state seeks restitution, Kennicott said.
“If somebody fraudulently obtains benefits, we try to re-coup all those benefits from that person in whatever amount it was,” Kennicott said.
If more than $500 worth of benefits are fraudulently obtained, Kennicott said an individual could face a fourth degree felony.
KOB Eyewitness News 4 stopped by Sigala’s home in Rio Rancho to ask about the possible allegations but no one answered the door.
Sigala remains on paid administrative leave with APD and his fate with the police department will be decided within the next two weeks.
