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Feds: St. Cloud man stole veterans benefit checks sent to dead mother

Photo: Vladimir Cetinski, Photos.com

Aug 19, 2011 at 10:31 am

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KNSI) - A St. Cloud man could spend the next decade behind bars following his indictment on federal charges for allegedly stealing veterans benefit checks for four years sent to his deceased mother, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mitchell George Pederson, 51, was indicted on one count of theft of government funds in a federal courtroom in Minneapolis Thursday.

According to government prosecutors, Pederson stole Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefit checks sent for his mother between June 2006 and June 2010. Pederson's mother died in 2004, but authorities allege Pederson failed to terminate those checks with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs and continued depositing them.

The benefits are earmarked for surviving spouses of veterans who died in military action.

If convicted, Pederson could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.