Michel Duane Dyson, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced on July 15 to 48 months in federal prison for misrepresenting himself as a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran and fraudulently collecting Veterans Administration benefits. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
Heekin said, “The brave men and women of our Armed Forces have made innumerable sacrifices throughout our nation’s history to preserve and protect the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans, and acts of stolen valor by fraudsters, like this defendant, are despicable. This defendant fraudulently claimed military service to gain benefits reserved for our nation’s warriors, but thanks to the excellent investigative work by federal law enforcement partners and the successful prosecution by my office, he’ll spend years in federal prison for his crimes.”
According to court records, Dyson applied for Veterans Affairs benefits in April 2022 by claiming active service in the U.S. Army with combat experience and awards including a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Investigators determined that Dyson had never served in any branch of the armed forces; during part of his alleged service period he was incarcerated in Massachusetts for a sex offense. From April 2022 until June 2025, Dyson received VA medical treatment based on these false claims and attempted to obtain additional housing benefits before being discovered. Records also showed he tried unsuccessfully to obtain VA benefits in Boston in 2013.
Upon release from prison, Dyson will serve three years on supervised release and must pay $28,118.37 restitution to the VA.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office said, “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for falsely claiming military service to obtain VA benefits intended for veterans who earned them through their sacrifice and service. The VA OIG remains committed to safeguarding veteran programs against fraud so that benefits reach the individuals they were created to serve.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin prosecuted it.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida enforces federal laws across 23 counties including Tallahassee and collaborates with law enforcement agencies through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood; it operates from courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola and Gainesville as part of its mission within the United States Department of Justice, according to its official website.