Perris woman’s welfare fraud nets more than $105,000

October 24, 2019 Trevor Montgomery

PERRIS — A Perris woman, suspected of welfare fraud and other crimes that netted her in excess of $105,000, was arrested on multiple felony charges after officials served a search warrant at the felon’s Perris residence yesterday morning, Wednesday, Oct. 23.

As part of an ongoing investigation, Perris Sheriff’s Station Investigations Bureau, with the assistance from Department Public Social Services Welfare Fraud Unit investigators, served the search warrant within the 800 Block of Amaya Dr., around 9 a.m., Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. John Burke has since reported.

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The investigation that led to the search warrant “revealed that Kimberly Blair provided false statements and fraudulent documents to the Riverside County Housing Authority and Riverside County DPSS/Welfare Office, which resulted in an over-payment of $81,103 in Section 8 housing benefits, and over $24,000 in food stamps and cash aid benefits,” explained Burke.

During the service of the search warrant, officials discovered “documents and income statements substantiating the fraud ,” Burke continued. The search warrant also uncovered evidence of an illegal marijuana grow in the garage and led to the seizure of two illegally possessed firearms, according to the Sgt.

Based on their investigation, officials arrested Blair on suspicion of welfare fraud, defrauding a Housing Authority, perjury, providing false documents to receive financial benefits, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The case will now be forwarded to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for filing of criminal charges, according to Burke, who said, “The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will continue to investigate misuse of government services and financial crimes related to tax dollar funds.”

The sheriff’s investigation is active and ongoing and anyone with information regarding this investigation or Blair’s alleged criminal activities is encouraged to contact Perris Sheriff’s Station at (951) 210-1000. Callers can refer to incident file number PE192960023 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.