A Gaithersburg, Maryland, man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after a fraud scam that prosecutors say he stole the identity of more than 30 people to obtain their SNAP benefits.
Brendyn Andrew, 34, will serve 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for multiple charges including SNAP benefits fraud, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud and witness tampering.
Court documents revealed Andrew used the identity of more than 30 people on the Department of Human Services’ online system to apply for SNAP benefits between February and June of 2021. Later that October, while executing a search warrant at his home, officers found more than 15 electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards under different names in Andrew’s possession.
Then, in January 2023 and February 2024, Andrew submitted numerous passport applications claiming to be other people, including his own brother. U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show Andrew used the fraudulent passport with his brother’s name to fly multiple times.
While in custody in Baltimore, in March 2025, prosecutors said he told his girlfriend, Dominique Collins, 38, of Stafford, Virginia, to delete an email account so it could not be used as evidence against him. Collins pled guilty for evidence tampering this past March.
According to a news release, Andrew’s case is part of the Trump administration’s anti-fraud task force, which looks to eliminate “fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.”
Andrew pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Along with his sentence, Andrew has been ordered to pay over $41,000 in restitution.
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