A Smith County man has pleaded guilty to stealing government property in the Eastern District of Texas. 

According to U.S. Attorney John Bales, 33-year-old Raymond Kyle Welsh of Tyler pleaded guilty Thursday to Information charging him with theft of government property.

According to information presented in court, from January 2003 to September 2010, Welsh concealed and failed to disclose his financial resources and income in order to receive Social Security and Medicaid benefits.  Welsh stole approximately $26,588.00 from the Social Security Administration in the form of Social Security Supplemental Income (SSI) payments and $213,981.19 from the Department of Health and Human Services in the form of Medicaid benefits.  Welsh admitted that he knew he was not entitled to the benefits and that they belonged to the United States government. 
 
Welsh faces up to 10 years in federal prison, restitution of $240,569.19 and forfeiture of $26,588.00 at sentencing.  A sentencing date has not been set.