The husband of state Rep. Deborah Fellela, D-Johnston, has pleaded guilty to several charges, including illegally collecting thousands in Social Security benefits.
Henry A. Fellela Jr., 56, entered the plea in federal court on Tuesday. The charges include aggravated identity theft, credit card fraud, Social Security fraud and theft of government funds.
He faces nearly four decades in prison and more than $1 million in fines, and is due to be sentenced in July.
Prosecutors say Fellela used a stolen credit card to buy thousands of dollars worth of electronics and clothing in 2007, and collected more than $58,000 in supplemental Social Security benefits from 2004 to 2012 by claiming to have no fixed address while actually living with his wife and children at 3 Diaz St.
Rep. Fellela, who appeared with her husband at court on Tuesday, has in the past defended her spouse and said his legal troubles do not impact her work in the General Assembly.
“Everybody is their own person. I go to work every day and I go to the State House every day so I feel like I do what I’m supposed to do,” she told the Sun Rise last year. “Henry’s a good person. He’s a good family man, and people who know him know that he’s a good person. He wouldn’t refuse a friend a favor.”
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EdDoyle
When I publicly announced my candidacy for District 43 in Johnston, I made it a point to emphasize how important honesty, integrity and family values are for a candidate seeking public office, or for an elected official.
Without these core values one cannot truly represent the people that elected him or her.
My family and I understand the hardships that Representative Fellela and her family will have to endure as the direct result of Henry Fellela Jr. pleading guilty to the five counts on the charges of aggravated identity theft, credit card fraud, social security fraud and theft of government funds. Having been married for over 33 years and sharing the responsibilities of raising our three children, I can’t begin to imagine the difficulty they will face in the coming months and years.
I feel deep sadness for the Fellela family; however, the underlying actions that precipitated this result are inexcusable and bring shame on Rhode Island, specifically Johnston. One fact rings clear in Rhode Island as of late - we need leaders for this state.
We need leaders that can repair and restore the reputation of our state. We need honest people, people with integrity and we need them to set good examples for all of the residents that they represent. Please help elect me this year to be your State Representative for District 43 Johnston by voting for me in the Democratic primary so that I can provide to you the leadership that other elected officials will respect and to ensure that it truly is time that you the hard working family mattered.
Thursday, April 10, 2014 Report this
jtaxassoc
The man acknowledged all these charges yet Deb had no idea where all those thousands of dollars were coming from over all those years? She claims she goes to work everyday and does her job as legislator and you wonder why the state is going to hell… These self serving Democrats who suck up to the unions and perverted liberal element of our state know exactly what's going on and in her case she should be tried for conspiracy… If she had any integrity she would get the hell out of politics but that wouldn't sit well with the Johnston Democratic Committee that likes things just the way it is… Peter A. Filippi III
Thursday, April 17, 2014 Report this
Broken02919
Married to a thief and a drunk (yes, let's not forget his DWI charge from a few years back), she should spare us the shame and get the hell out of office. I never see her name in the paper for any positive thiings or accomplishments as a political leader, always the Thug Bunch.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 Report this