JACKSON — Two people have been sentenced to federal prison for using Mississippi inmates’ identities to file fraudulent tax returns.
Daniel Kelley, 41, and Joyce Knight, 38, both of Meridian were sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate, the IRS and the U.S. attorney’s office for southern Mississippi said in a news release Monday. Kelley was given six years in prison, and Knight was given two years and two months. Each was given three years of supervised release.
While Kelley was in several state prisons, he stole other inmates’ information and gave it to Knight, the news release said. It said Knight, who was not in prison, filed false federal tax returns claiming $127,000 in refunds.
Kelley and Knight received $51,993, and Wingate ordered them to repay that amount.
Knight cashed refund checks at a gas station and loaded it onto prepaid cards. Knight gave Kelley the cards’ account numbers, and Kelley spent the money in prison.
Kelley and Knight told prosecutors they were able to communicate using cellphones Kelley obtained while in prison.
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