Welfare fraud charges were filed against 63 people during the month of August, according to a news release from the state inspector general's office.

In total, $252,435.58 was defrauded from state-run benefit programs including $131,461.32 for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); $88,765.64 for medical assistance; $31,536.87 for cash assistance and $671.75 for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and other programs.

Lawrence County saw the largest combined amount of fraud amounting to $39,701.28.

The Office of the Inspector General filed 24 criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a felony of the third degree. The defendants are:

Shanell Sewell, 31, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $753 in SNAP fraud and $5,059.65 in cash assistance fraud.

Vanessa Maria-Felix, 32, of Reading in Berks County, for $2,964 in SNAP fraud and $905.89 in cash assistance fraud.

Jibran G. Najm, 49, of Allentown in Lehigh County, for $1,556 in SNAP fraud and $5,360.50 in cash assistance fraud.

Heather M. Ayers, 42, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $5,433.86 in cash assistance fraud.

Asia Moore, 21, of Philadelphia, for $1,942 in SNAP fraud and $3,695.43 in cash assistance fraud.

Tammee S. Shaftic, 52, of New Castle in Lawrence County, for $7,190.75 in SNAP fraud and $32,510.53 in medical assistance fraud.

Melissa A. Domhoff, 32, of New Castle in Lawrence County, for $7,412 in SNAP fraud, $5,582.80 in medical assistance fraud and $351 in LIHEAP fraud.

Alicia J. Graham, 33, of New Castle in Lawrence County, for $3,481 in SNAP fraud.

Margaret C. Lightner, 50, and Justin D. Lightner, 30, of Chambersburg in Franklin County, for $7,354 in SNAP fraud and $4,559.59 in medical assistance fraud.

Chamika S. Wright, 42, of Philadelphia, for $6,569 in SNAP fraud.

Brittany M. Carbaugh, 27, of Gettysburg in Adams County, for $9,136 in SNAP fraud and $217.06 in medical assistance fraud.

Callie J. Grizzard, 39, of Butler in Butler County, for $808 in SNAP fraud and $5,565.28 in medical assistance fraud.

Alyssa M. Mannino, 27, of Hershey in Dauphin County, for $6,376 in SNAP fraud.

Julianna M. Marsh, 33, of Somerset in Somerset County, for $7,638 in SNAP fraud and $1,406.07 in medical assistance fraud.

Tracey L. Polk, 36, of Sharpsville in Mercer County, for $3,622 in SNAP fraud.

Courtney M. Blackwell, 29, of East Stroudsburg in Monroe County, for $1,520 in SNAP fraud and $2,032.44 in medical assistance fraud.

Wanea V. Moreira-Diaz, 44, of Reading in Berks County, for $2,044 in SNAP fraud and $3,732.35 in medical assistance fraud.

Patrick Lucas, 44, of Verona in Allegheny County, for $2,253 in SNAP fraud and $8,949.68 in medical assistance fraud.

Charles W. Pavel, 46, of Spring City in Chester County, for $930 in SNAP fraud and $7,025 in medical assistance fraud.

Jada K. Temple, 36, of Apollo in Armstrong County, for $5,112 in SNAP fraud.

Rahsean R. Bridges, 30, of Farrell in Mercer County, for $3,669.08 in medical assistance fraud.

Joshua S. Kendall, 26, of Six Mile Run in Bedford County, for $4,411.46 in medical assistance fraud.

Richard D. Weeter, Jr., 30, of Avonmore in Armstrong County, for $3,278.26 in medical assistance fraud.

If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is seven years in prison and a fine of $15,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded.

The OIG filed 20 criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a misdemeanor of the first degree. The defendants are:

Yolanda Castaneda, 46, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $1,834 in SNAP fraud and $1,833.40 in cash assistance fraud.

Marissa Calderon, 42, of Reading in Berks County, for $803 in SNAP fraud and $1,573.50 in cash assistance fraud.

Maria F. Henriquez, 23, of Hazleton in Luzerne County, for $2,762.20 in cash assistance fraud.

Candida J. Collado, 42, of Lemoyne in Cumberland County, for $1,308 in SNAP fraud and $2,494.44 in medical assistance fraud.

Natalie J. Shadle, 42, of West Springfield in Erie County, for $2,814 in SNAP fraud.

Meagan M. Nolan, 29, of Latrobe in Westmoreland County, for $1,533 in SNAP fraud.

Sandra G. Younkin, 46, of Ashville in Cambria County, for $1,552 in SNAP fraud.

Norman R. Munnal, Jr., 62, of Sharon in Mercer County, for $905 in SNAP fraud and $1,112.60 in medical assistance fraud.

Brian C. Rohrbaugh, 44, of Hanover in York County, for $1,519 in SNAP fraud.

Glorimar Gomez, 30, of Reading in Berks County, for $1,813 in SNAP fraud.

Delphine A. Diaz, 48, of Philadelphia, for $2,270 in SNAP fraud.

Kimberly A. Schrack, 43, of Tobyhanna in Monroe County, for $1,926 in SNAP fraud.

Jillian Chauvin, 27, of Coatesville in Chester County, for $2,822 in SNAP fraud.

Tireen L. Gluvna, 31, of Uniontown in Fayette County, for $2,875 in SNAP fraud.

Amber N. Walck, 33, of Bethlehem in Northampton County, for $2,200 in SNAP fraud.

Chelsey M. Wilson, 21, of Carmichaels in Greene County, for $2,172 in SNAP fraud.

Tina M. Miller, 36, of Ellwood City in Beaver County, for $2,536 in SNAP fraud.

Christopher Crawford, 34, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for unlawfully using another's EBT card.

Kareema L. Uqdah, 32, of Philadelphia, for $1,318 in SNAP fraud and $2,733.50 in cash assistance fraud.

If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is five years in prison and a fine of $10,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded.

The OIG filed 14 criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a misdemeanor of the second degree. The defendants are:

Ashley S. Long, 26, of Steelton in Dauphin County, for $844 in SNAP fraud and $1,057 in cash assistance fraud.

Nicole S. Coleman, 42, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $1,110 in SNAP fraud and $710.30 in cash assistance fraud.

Marisol Medina, 30, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $1,389 in SNAP fraud and $1,148.14 in cash assistance fraud.

Karen R. Higgins, 30, and Mark S. Higgins, Jr., 32, of Meadville in Crawford County, for $1,489 in cash assistance fraud.

Lizbeth DeLeon-Piedra, 43, of Allentown in Lehigh County, for $1,068 in cash assistance fraud.

William H. Hallman, 29, of Allentown in Lehigh County, for $1,164 in SNAP fraud.

Chelsea R. Lee, 24, of Altoona in Blair County, for $1,209 in SNAP fraud.

Erica J. Hornbaker, 37, of McConnellsburg in Fulton County, for $1,272 in SNAP fraud.

Timothy L. McMichael, 48, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, for $1,095 in SNAP fraud.

Michael Williams, 66, of Elverson in Chester County, for $1,068 in SNAP fraud.

Patricia D. Davis, 44, of Uniontown in Fayette County, for $1,146 in SNAP fraud.

Leahia L. Antill, 25, of Titusville in Crawford County, for $1,352 in SNAP fraud.

Mary B. Helman, 55, of Sykesville in Jefferson County, for $1,259.90 in medical assistance fraud.

If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is two years in prison and a fine of $5,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded.

The OIG filed five criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a misdemeanor of the third degree. The defendants are:

Christina J. Pennington, 42, of Plymouth Meeting in Montgomery County, for $511 in SNAP fraud and $842 in cash assistance fraud.

Jamisha K. Dooley, 28, of Connellsville in Fayette County, for $589 in SNAP fraud.

Donald E. Russell, 43, of Fishertown in Bedford County, for $762 in SNAP fraud.

Beverly S. Jessup, 39, of Brockway in Jefferson County, for $503 in SNAP fraud.

Tyler R. Younkins, 32, of Freeport in Armstrong County, for $959.10 in medical assistance fraud.

If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is one year in prison and a fine of $2,500, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded.

To report suspected fraud, call the Welfare Fraud Tipline at 800-932-0582 or visit the OIG website at www.oig.pa.gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.