Ville Platte Man Arrested For Stealing V.A. Benefits

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL) -- A Ville Platte man was sentenced in federal court Wednesday, convicted of stealing nearly $178,000 in Veteran's Administration benefits.

United States Attorney Stephanie Finley says 66-year-old William Marshall has been sentenced to a year in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

For nearly six years, Finley says Marshall transferred money from a friend's checking account into that same friend's PayPal account before finally transferring that money into his personal accounts. The total amount stolen came to $177,824.50, Finley says.

"Marshall acknowledged that he stole the money and used it for making various purchases and to pay his living expenses," Finley says.

U.S. District Judge Richard Haik has ordered Marshall to pay back all the money he stole.