Wisconsin man stole coworker's identity for 30 years, sent victim to mental hospital before DNA exonerated him: court ruling

A federal appeals court has upheld a 12-year prison sentence for a Wisconsin man who stole another person's identity for decades and manipulated the criminal justice system to have his victim jailed and forcibly medicated.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit rejected Matthew David Keirans' challenge to his sentence, according to a ruling filed Thursday. Keirans, 59, argued the 144-month prison term was unreasonable and that special conditions of supervised release were improper.

Keirans pleaded guilty in April 2025 to aggravated identity theft and making false statements. 

The case centers on the accusation that Keirans' theft of William Woods' identity began in the late 1980s, when the two men worked together at a hot dog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Woods said Keirans stole his wallet in 1988, but returned it after Woods threatened to punch him. But while Keirans had possession of Woods' wallet, he used the information on Woods' social security card to apply for a driver's license as William Woods.

Court records show Keirans used Woods' identity to build a new life — marrying, having a child, opening bank accounts, obtaining credit, and working at the University of Iowa Hospital, where he earned more than $100,000 a year as an IT administrator.

Court documents indicate that, when Woods tried to reclaim his identity in 2019, Keirans convinced police that Woods was the imposter. Woods was arrested and charged with identity theft and false impersonation.

Woods spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a state mental hospital, where he received medication after a judge found him not competent to stand trial. He was convicted in March 2021 and ordered by the court to use what it believed was his true name: Matthew Keirans.

After his release, Woods continued fighting to reclaim his identity. In January 2023, he contacted the University of Iowa Hospital, where Keirans worked. A detective investigating Woods' complaint used DNA evidence to prove Woods was telling the truth. When confronted with the DNA results in July 2023, Keirans admitted he had used Woods' identity for decades, produced false documents, and lied to law enforcement.

"My life is over," Keirans said, when confronted with the DNA results, according to the Associated Press.

At sentencing, the district court emphasized the "unique, unusual, and egregious" nature of Keirans' offenses. The court noted that Keirans "intentionally sought the prosecution and incarceration of" Woods" according to the appeals court ruling.

In his appeal, Keirans argued the sentence was too harsh and that the special conditions were based on conduct from decades ago. The appeals court rejected both arguments.

The three-judge panel found no abuse of discretion, noting that throughout three decades of living under Woods' identity, Keirans hid his true identity from his wife and gave his child Woods' surname. The court also noted Keirans' history of deceit undercut his claims that he no longer struggles with mental health or substance abuse issues.

In 2025, the Associated Press reported that Woods was back living in Albuquerque where he was working as a landscaper. At the time, he said he planned to seek compensation for his wrongful incarceration. 

"My main goal," he said, "is to rebuild my life."