Jackson man gets 3 years for stealing veteran’s ID and $130,000 in veteran’s benefits

Published 11:38 am Friday, December 14, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi man has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing the identity of a U.S. military veteran and using it to get more than $130,000 in benefits.

Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee on Thursday also ordered 56-year-old Tierun Bush of Jackson to pay full restitution to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst says Bush was convicted of aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds and property.

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Prosecutors say Bush used the name, Social Security number and other identifiers of the veteran to receive narcotics, medical care, medical equipment and housing help from the VA Department between 2005 and 2018.

Bush is not a military veteran, but was a long-time patient at a VA Medical Center in Jackson.