A Western North Carolina woman has been sent to prison after pleading guilty making a false claim following Hurricane Helene. Court records show that 41 year old, Peggy Lee Cantrell of Marion was sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding FEMA following the devastation of Helene in 2024.
The charges came after Cantrell filed for FEMA assistance in 2025 and lied to a FEMA Inspector. She also claimed her records of ownership of a property on the claim had been washed away during Helene.
Cantrell has been sentenced to three years in federal prison. There's no early release or parole in the federal system. She has also been ordered to repay $30,000 she got in the scheme.
