SAVANNAH — A former Fort Stewart soldier has been sentenced to almost six years in prison for defrauding the Army out of a $100,000 insurance benefit by claiming that his wife had died.
U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield on Tuesdsay upped the sentence by more than a year above federal guidelines, giving Ingerberth Baird 70 months behind bars after finding that he lied on the witness stand and was unrepentant.
The 38-year-old Baird was convicted in January of conspiracy, making false claims and mail fraud by claiming Nicolette Baird was killed in a car crash after traveling to her native Trinidad in Sepember 2002 for a family funeral.
The FBI found Baird living with his wife in Trinidad in April 2003. He was extradited to the U.S. last year to face charges.
Edmund Booth Jr., United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said Baird will be transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to his home country of Trinidad after his sentence.
U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield on Tuesdsay upped the sentence by more than a year above federal guidelines, giving Ingerberth Baird 70 months behind bars after finding that he lied on the witness stand and was unrepentant.
The 38-year-old Baird was convicted in January of conspiracy, making false claims and mail fraud by claiming Nicolette Baird was killed in a car crash after traveling to her native Trinidad in Sepember 2002 for a family funeral.
The FBI found Baird living with his wife in Trinidad in April 2003. He was extradited to the U.S. last year to face charges.
Edmund Booth Jr., United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said Baird will be transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to his home country of Trinidad after his sentence.