| Swisher
sentenced
Cottonwood resident Elven Joe Swisher was sentenced to a year and a day in prison Monday, Jan. 5 at Boise, on four federal charges related to making false claims about his military service. Swisher, age, 72, was convicted in April of making false statements about his military service that were intended to increase the amount of veterans benefits he was eligible for, of wearing several unauthorized medals, and theft of government funds for using false testimony and a forged discharge form to obtain disability benefits. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Swisher to six month in prison on the charge of wearing unauthorized medals and a year and a day on each of the other three counts. The longest he would serve would be a year and a day as all are to run concurrently. He was also given credit for time served as he has spent some time in jail awaiting trial. Swisher was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on March 4, and Winmill recommended he be placed in a facility that can accommodate his medical needs, in the federal prison at Sheridan, Wyo., or NICI at Cottonwood. Fines were waived because Swisher didn’t have the ability to pay them. Restitution will be ordered at a later date. A special assessment of $25 on the first count and $100 for each of the other three counts was ordered to be paid immediately. Swisher also was ordered to serve three years on supervised probation after his release and is not to possess firearms or other weapons. His benefits are to be turned over to the court to pay all assessments and restitution. He also was ordered to provide financial information to his probation officer, to submit himself and his residence and vehicle to searches and to undergo mental health treatment. |
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