KANSAS CITY, KAN. -A federal jury Thursday returned a guilty verdict in the case of a Junction City man who stole his father’s identity to apply for a loan to buy a $490,000 house, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Matthew Williams, 47, Junction City, Kan., was convicted on one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Williams filled out a loan application with Pulaski Bank using his father’s name, Social Security number and other identifying information in an attempt to get a loan to buy a house in Shawnee, Kan. The defendant was in bankruptcy proceedings at the time.
The government presented evidence that Williams claimed to be an Army veteran and recipient of a Purple Heart award for valor in Vietnam. In fact, Williams’s father, Earl, fought in both Vietnam and Desert Storm and earned a Purple Heart, as well as other commendations.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on the bank fraud charge, and a penalty of 2 years consecutive to any other sentence on the identity theft charge. Grissom commended the Veterans Administration - Office of Inspector Genera, Special Agent Tim Mugrage and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
