Eric Riley and Britney Gooch, both residents of Mesa, Arizona, have been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), which is the state’s Medicaid agency. U.S. District Judge Krissa M. Lanham handed down a 24-month sentence to Riley on February 6, 2026, and a 12-month-and-one-day sentence to Gooch on February 20, 2026.
The court also ordered both defendants to pay $3.3 million in restitution to AHCCCS after they pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud charges. The fraudulent activity occurred through their business, New Horizons Behavioral Health, a clinic based in Mesa.
According to case details, Riley and Gooch exploited the AHCCCS American Indian Health Program (AIHP) from 2020 through 2022 by submitting false claims for services that were never provided to AIHP patients. These actions resulted in approximately $3.3 million in illicit gains from AHCCCS.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine stated: “This case is about protecting American taxpayers, restoring the public’s trust, and safeguarding critical health care resources for the communities that truly need them,” adding, “Working with our FBI and AHCCCS-OIG partners, we not only secured convictions in this case, but also maximized the recovery of stolen money through the $3.3 million restitution order.”
The investigation was led by FBI Phoenix with significant support from the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General. The prosecution was managed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
