PITTSBURGH, PA — A Fayette County resident has been sentenced in federal court for his alleged role in a conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan.
Joshua DeWitt, 38, the owner of RC Auto, a used car dealership in Fayette County, was sentenced on February 14, 2024, by United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. DeWitt received a sentence of ten months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $60,022.50.
According to the information provided to the court, DeWitt, along with co-conspirator Terrence Newmeyer, allegedly filed fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loans. It is alleged that some of these applications were made on behalf of customers, with some being told they were applying for funds that could be used to purchase a vehicle from the dealership.
The court was informed that DeWitt and Newmeyer allegedly used the fraudulently obtained pandemic benefits for personal use and for the dealership, accepting them as payment for vehicles and services sold.
Before imposing the sentence, Judge Schwab noted that the alleged fraud conspiracy lasted for many months and involved repeated instances of criminal activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. U.S. Attorney Olshan praised the efforts of the United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office for their investigation leading to the successful prosecution of DeWitt.
The sentencing hearing for Newmeyer, DeWitt’s alleged co-conspirator, is currently scheduled for March 5, 2024.
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