TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee man was sentenced to four years in federal prison for stealing VA benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office. <\/p>\n
Michael Dyson, 46, fraudulently applied for VA benefits<\/a>, claiming he had served in the Army, according to court documents. <\/p>\n Court documents also show, Dyson claimed he had a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.<\/p>\n Dyson never served in any branch of the armed forces. Court documents show investigators later discovered during part of the time Dyson claimed to be in the Army, he was in jail for a sex offense.<\/p>\n More on crime in our area:<\/p>\n Because of his fraudulent applications, Dyson received VA benefits in the form of medical treatment from April 2022 to June 2025. <\/p>\n Court documents revealed Dyson also tried to obtain VA housing benefits, which is when his fraud was discovered. Records in the investigation showed Dyson had previously tried to get VA benefits in Massachusetts in 2013, but was denied.<\/p>\n Dyson will serve three years on supervised release following his prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay over $28,000 in restitution to the VA.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n