FORT SMITH (KFSM) — An Oklahoma man was sentenced Thursday (April 26) to seven years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for stealing another man’s identity and embezzling his Social Security funds.
Allen Frank Martin, 57, of Arkoma, Okla., pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court to aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
As part of his sentencing, Martin will also have to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution for the Social Security disability funds he stole.
Martin stole the man’s wallet in 1990 and assumed his identity until his arrest in January 2017, according to court filings.
Between 1990 and 2017, Martin used the man’s identity to obtain multiple Arkansas driver’s licenses, at least one California driver’s license, a social security card, a birth registration card and open a bank account, according to court filings.
Investigators said Martin had amassed $277,767.40 in Social Security disability funds since 2003. He also worked over that same period and failed to report his wages.
Martin was arrested and indicted in January 2017 but failed to show for a bond revocation hearing. He later removed his GPS ankle monitor and disappeared, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested by the United States Marshal’s Service in November 2017 while working at an Oklahoma hotel.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sydney Butler prosecuted the case for the United States.
U.S. district Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing.
