By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Cushing woman with a criminal record in four counties was arraigned Tuesday on a felony charge accusing her of illegally obtaining $10,294 worth of food stamps by claiming that a man was a current member of her household when he was actually in prison, court records allege.
Christy Lynn Kinsley, 43, who has also been known by the surname of Herrmann, was ordered to return to court on April 1. She remains held in the Payne County Jail on $5,000 bail since her arrest last week.
“The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service is a federal agency responsible for administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. DHS administers the SNAP program in Oklahoma for the USDA,” an affidavit said.
On May 30, 2024, a referral alleged “Christy Kinsley included (a man) as a household member on her SNAP benefit case, when in fact he was incarcerated from 2/13/2020 through 5/24/2024,” according to an affidavit by Marshall Green, an agent with DHS Office of Inspector General.
“Christy Kinsley submitted nine OKDHS applications from September 2020 through March 2024 and reported (a man) as a household member on those applications,” who was incarcerated from Feb. 13, 2020, through May 24, 2024,” the affidavit alleged.
“According to OKDHS records, Christy Kinsley received SNAP benefits for (him) from March 2020 through February 2021 and again from April 2021 through June 2024. According to SNAP transaction records, a majority of Ms. Kinsley’s transactions have occurred in Payne County,” the affidavit alleged.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections records show that Kinsley, under the surname of Herrmann, was previously convicted of:
* concealing stolen property in Lincoln County in 2013, for which she was given a four-year prison term of which she served about one year prior to her release in October of 2017;
* second-degree forgery in Payne County in 2012, for which she was given a seven-year prison term of which she served about two years before serving the above sentence;
* second-degree forgery in Pottawatomie County in 2013, for which she was given a six-year prison term of which she served less than two years concurrently to the above sentence;
* bogus checks in Payne County in 2005, for which she was given a five-year prison term of which she served less than two years concurrently to the above sentence;
* forgery in Creek County in 2007, for which she received a five-year suspended sentence in 2008;
* perjury in Creek County in 2006, for which she received a five-year suspended sentence in 2008;
* false declaration of ownership in pawn in Payne County in 2001, for which she received a five-year prison term in 2007 of which served about half;
* assault and battery in Payne County in 2000, for which she received a five-year prison term in 2007 of which she served about half concurrently to the above sentence;
* shoplifting in Payne County in 2001, for which she received a one-year prison term of which she served four months concurrently to the above sentence.
