LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Little Rock man was sentenced on Friday after he was found to have collected over $250,000 in Social Security Disability payments after being deemed not actually disabled.

According to the Department of Justice, 45-year-old Levell Baltimore Jr. was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

Baltimore applied for Social Security benefits while claiming to be disabled back in 2005.

He stated in his filings that he could not work or leave his home due to seasonal allergies, migraines, asthma, physical limitations and fatigue.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) originally denied his claim but eventually approved the claim in 2007 when he began receiving benefits.

Baltimore informed the SSA he had no income, he created and operated at least six businesses during the time he received disability benefits. Two of those businesses obtained contracts with the State of Arkansas. Even though he was required to report any income to the SSA he continued to claim he could not work.

Baltimore received fraudulent benefits from 2007 through June of 2018 totaling $284,862.25.

Baltimore was charged in May 2018 with one count of theft of government funds and three counts of making false statements. In December 2020, he pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in exchange for dismissal of the other counts.

Judge Moody ordered Baltimore to pay that money back in restitution and sentenced Baltimore to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

“This defendant stole from a system that is designed to support those who truly need help,” Acting United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross said. “This sentence shows that jail time awaits those whose greed and dishonesty embolden them to commit frauds such as these.”