$1.6 million food stamp fraud

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - An illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic has pleaded guilty to allegations that he used straw owners to operate several grocery stores in Hartford that he used to defraud the federal food stamp program of about $1.6 million.

Federal prosecutors say Apolinare Collado, who also used numerous aliases, allowed customers to exchange food stamps for cash and other products not eligible for purchase with the benefit between 2003 and 2009.

The 43-year-old pleaded guilty Friday to one count of food stamp fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for June 6.

In 1998, Collado was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison and was later deported after he was convicted of food stamp fraud, tax fraud and immigration offenses.

He had been detained since January 2009 for immigration violations.