Woman sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing $108 million from government

SAN ANTONIO — Janet Yamanaka Mello will be sentenced Tuesday for stealing more than $100 million from the government.

Mello is facing five counts for mail fraud, four counts for filing a false tax return, and one count for aggravated identity theft.

Doing the math, she has to serve at least two years for identity theft, but she can get 142 years altogether.

Each charge for mail fraud comes with a maximum of 20 years in prison.

RELATED: San Antonio woman indicted, accused of stealing more than $100 million from Army for jewelry, cars and real estate

For mail fraud, it comes with a maximum of 10 years.

Mello performed this scheme while working at Fort Sam Houston by submitting false papers that the money was benefitting military members and their families.

Her sector included child health and youth lifelong development programs.

Records show she falsified her supervisor’s signature multiple times to buy millions of dollars in jewelry, clothes, vehicles, and real estate.

Mello was indicted in December to take a plea deal in March.

Lead investigators in this case will hold a press conference at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the Federal Courthouse after Mello’s sentencing.

KENS 5 will be present to provide updates.

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