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Description: Pocatello, Idaho criminal law lawyer represented defendant charged with theft of government funds and also civilly accused of violating the False Claims Act.

Steven L. Young was licensed as a physician assistant in Utah. He applied for and received a $50,000 payment as part of the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSCLR), a program intended to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in eligible communities of need. As part of the program, healthcare professionals can receive award money to help them repay qualifying student loans.

Young received a NHSCLR payment on September 30, 2016. Prior to receiving the payment, he agreed to certain terms as part of his participation in the program. Young knowingly violated the terms of his agreement when he surrendered his medical license on June 28, 2016 and was fired from his job. Although he agreed to use the loan money to repay his eligible student loans, Young spent the money on ineligible expenses.

Young pleaded guilty to theft of government funds on March 30, 2022. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ordered Young to repay the $50,000 loan and $13,192.96 in accrued interest. The loan accrues interest if the obligations and requirements of the NHSCLR program are not met and the loan is not repaid.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Health Resources and Services Administration, which led to charges.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay %63,192.96 in restitution.

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