3 Utah County men stole identity of dead people, filed false tax returns, feds say

SALT LAKE CITY — Three Utah County men reaped thousands of dollars from bogus tax returns using the stolen identities of dead people, federal authorities say.

Indictments filed this week in U.S. District Court allege the men obtained names, addresses, Social Security numbers and other personal information from a website listing people who died in California. They used the information to file false tax returns and get refunds from the IRS, according to the indictment.

Joshua Erle Garrison, 20, Nathaniel Jay McGee, 31, both of Provo, and Kaden John Ashton, 19, of Orem, are charged in separate indictments returned by a federal grand jury.

The three men filed false tax forms using information they obtained from the website and false records of employers and wages that they created, according to the indictment. The IRS then sent refunds to their Utah bank accounts.

Garrison, Ashton and McGee are charged with five counts each of aggravated identity theft, making false claims on fraudulent tax forms and wire fraud. The charges carry terms ranging from two to 30 years in prison.

McGee and Garrison were arrested and pleaded not guilty in federal court earlier this month. A warrant has been issued for Ashton.