LANSING — Mark Anthony Dodd, aka Mack Dodd or Marco Jones, 53 of Detroit, has been charged with 29 felony theft-related crimes stemming from an alleged fraudulent scheme to rip off the state.

Dodd is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the state through fraudulent applications with Medicaid and food assistance programs. He has also been accused of fraudulently obtaining scheduled drugs from Detroit-area pharmacies through forged prescriptions and using Medicaid funds to pay for them, a press release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office said.

He was arranged on three felony counts of false pretenses over $1,000, eight felony counts of food stamp fraud, five felony counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and five felony counts of Medicaid fraud, among other counts.

He was charged as a fourth habitual offender and faces life in prison as a result.

“The Medicaid and food assistance programs are safety nets for Michiganders who truly need them,” Nessel said. “It’s particularly disturbing when individuals bilk those programs — taking help away from those that depend on it to get by.”

Nessel’s Health Care Fraud Division carried out the investigation in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services inspector general.

“There are many working families and individuals in Michigan who are experiencing hard times and need assistance putting nutritious food on the table and paying for medical bills as they work toward self-sufficiency,” said MDHHS Director Robert Gordon.

“The department is committed to helping them. At the same time, cracking down on fraud is a priority as MDHHS works to make sure these scarce funds are available to those who are truly in need and to protect taxpayer dollars. Our Office of Inspector General, working with valued partners such as Attorney General Nessel, has great success in finding fraud – with its anti-fraud efforts saving taxpayers more than $237 million in fiscal year 2018.”

Dodd’s pre-exam conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. December 27 and his preliminary exam is set for 9 a.m. January 2.