SHANDA MOORE, age 26, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to one count of mail fraud relating to fraudulent applications for financial assistance that she submitted to the American Red Cross between September and October 2005, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to court documents, the Red Cross made disaster assistance money of up to $1565 available to those affected by the hurricanes of 2005 on a one-time only basis. MOORE repeatedly applied for and received disaster assistance funds from the American Red Cross on approximately eight (8) occasions throughout the fall of 2005, each time indicating that she hah not yet received any money. In all, MOORE fraudulently obtained approximately $8,490 from the American Red Cross.

MOORE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a $250,0000 fine, restitution to the American Red Cross, and three (3) years of supervised release. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 23, 2010.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Thomson.