DOJ: Man stole COVID-19 relief money while on post-prison supervision

PORTLAND, Ore. — A man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to stealing COVID-19 relief money — just months after being released from prison.

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Dimitrius Nicholai Pryce was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud, the Department of Justice announced in a news release.

Pryce was released from prison in February 2020 after serving a 70-month sentence for armed robbery. In July 2020, prosecutors said that Pryce submitted a fraudulent application for an Economic Impact Disaster Loan. In the application, Pryce claimed he “ran an ‘entertainment venue’ that generated $53,000 in revenue in the twelve months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Pryce also lied on the form and said he had not been on any form of parole or probation after a felony conviction in the last five years, prosecutors said.

The Small Business Administration approved the loan and paid Pryce nearly $25,000. Prosecutors said that Pryce withdrew $21,000 the same day he received it and spent the entire amount in three months.

Prosecutors said that Pryce submitted three more fraudulent applications for additional COVID-19 relief money in January 2021, in which he said he was in construction. All three applications were denied.

A judge ordered Pryce to pay $24,900 in restitution to the SBA.

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