Prince Frederick, MD – A Calvert County woman who entered Alford pleas last month amid allegations of welfare and Medicaid fraud was sentenced Wednesday, Oct. 21. Calvert County Circuit Court Judge Mark Chandlee sentenced Grace Marie Bellosi-Mitchell, 48 of Dunkirk to two concurrent two-year sentences. Bellosi-Mitchell provided state officials with restitution totaling $138,725.66.
Bellosi-Mitchell was ordered to spend 10 consecutive weekends in the Calvert County Detention Center. At the conclusion of the 10 weekends she will then be required to serve one year on home detention. Chandlee also imposed four years of supervised probation.
On Sept. 18 Bellosi-Mitchell entered Alford pleas to one count of welfare fraud and one count of fraud, obtain drug/medical care $500 and over.
In the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office’s statement of facts presented to the court, between September 2011 and March of this year, Bellosi-Mitchell “received a total of $121,577.66 in Medicaid overpayments.” Between September 2012 and August 2014 she “received a total of $17,148 in food stamps.” The State’s Attorney’s Office reported that in each case, the defendant claimed herself, her husband and three children for the benefits. However, her husband had moved out of their home in Dunkirk back in July 2012 and in October of that year conveyed his interest on the estranged couple’s house to Bellosi-Mitchell. The investigation also revealed two of the defendant’s children were legally in the custody of her sister since August 2013 and a third moved out in November 2012.
The State’s Attorney’s Office also reported Bellosi-Mitchell failed on three occasions to report changes in her circumstances. The investigation also revealed a property settlement agreement by Bellosi-Mitchell and her estranged husband giving her ownership of 10 rental units in Calvert County, Ocean City, MD and Florida. The value of the properties was in excess of $2.7 million.
Additionally, the State’s Attorney’s investigation revealed Bellosi-Mitchell reported in August 2013 that her only income was a $270 bi-weekly unemployment check. In August 2014 the defendant reportedly purchased three Prius automobiles. “On a credit application she listed fulltime employment. She made a $9,500 cash down payment along with a trade-in of a 2004 BMW X-3. On the second vehicle she listed that she had an $8,000 per month rental income in addition to her employment. She made a $12,500 cash down payment along with a trade-in of a second 2004 BMW X-3. The third Prius she paid [for with a] $30,229 cashier’s check.”
“This is people scamming the system,” said Deputy State’s Attorney Frances Longwell, who told the court the defendant’s actions were “theft of the citizens.”
Bellosi-Mitchell declined to comment during the sentencing hearing. She was represented at the hearing by attorney Robert C. Bonsib.
According to Calvert County State’s Attorney Laura Martin [R], the investigation was handled by her office and began in 2014. The probe was initiated by the Department of Social Services.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com