BOSTON, Aug. 27, 2012 – A Cambridge resident was arraigned Friday on charges he had used another man’s identity for nearly two decades, allegedly scamming more than $65,000 worth of state benefits for which he was not eligible, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

The Suffolk County Grand Jury on May 1 returned indictments charging FREDERICK CROSS (D.O.B. 6/16/44) with four counts of identity theft, two counts of making false claims to a government agency, and single counts of forgery or misuse of a Registry of Motor Vehicles document, making false statements to obtain public assistance, making false statements to obtain medical assistance, and making false statements under penalty of perjury.

Cross was initially summonsed to appear for arraignment on May 14. He failed to appear and a warrant issued for his arrest. Waltham Police arrested Cross on that warrant Thursday when he showed up at the Social Security office in Waltham. Suffolk Superior Court Clerk Connie Wong ordered him held on $25,000 bail the following day; prosecutors had asked for $50,000.

“Public assistance fraud is much more than a crime against government agencies,” Conley said. “It’s a crime against the genuinely needy who depend on state benefits to support the very young, the very old, and the disabled. In this case, it also affected the innocent man whose identity the defendant assumed. That man still lives with massive inconveniences stemming from the charged offenses and likely will for some time.”

Cross is accused of using the birth certificate, Social Security number, and date of birth of another man with a similar name and date of birth to obtain $65,897 in state benefits since 2005. Those benefits included MassHealth, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Emergency Aid for the Elderly, Disabled and Children. Cross was not eligible to receive these benefits due to outstanding warrants charging him with various offenses including larceny and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

The investigation revealed that Cross successfully applied for a replacement Social Security card in his victim’s name in 1994, a Massachusetts driver’s license in his victim’s name in 1996, and a Massachusetts ID card in his victim’s name in 2008. Altered birth certificates supporting these applications were recovered from Cross’ apartment and the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.

Cross applied unsuccessfully for Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits using his own name and Social Security number in 1990. After being denied under his true identity, Cross allegedly applied again using his victim’s identity in 1994, 2009 and 2010. Those applications were also denied.

The victim, who resides in another state, has received bills for thousands of dollars incurred when Cross used his name to obtain loans, medical care, and other services in his name. To date, he has been successful in resolving those issues but must still take a variety of time-consuming steps to establish his identity to various businesses, agencies, and individuals.

Conley singled out for praise Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Goldberger, who led the grand jury investigation that ended with Cross’ indictment; Boston Police Det. Kevin Doogan; the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General; and the State Auditor’s office.

Rebecca Harris is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Cross is due back in court for a pretrial conference on Oct. 5. He is represented by attorney Robert Griffin.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.