Mississippi Man Faces Gulf Oil Spill Claims Fraud Trial

A South Mississippi man faces trial in a federal fraud case alleging he lied about his past employment to get $25,800 in oil spill recovery money.

Court records showed Shawn Albert Townsel received the money after claiming he lost work as a first-class painter/blaster with Northrop Grumman/Peyton Sandblasting & Painting in Pascagoula and in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.

He also is accused of giving the Gulf Coast Claims Facility false documentation, including an income tax return and a letter from his alleged employer.

Court documents allege Townsel made the fraudulent claims after the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill of April 2010, and received a check for his recovery money in the mail.

The Sun Herald reports Townsel’s trial is set for a court calendar that starts Dec. 8.