Florida Man Sentenced For Collecting Dead Mom's Social Security

ORLANDO (CBSMiami/AP) - A central Florida man who collected his mother's Social Security payments for years after her death has been sentenced to two years in federal prison.

Fifty-four-year-old Bobby Morlen, from Deltona, pleaded guilty in January to the theft of government funds.

Morlen's mother was receiving Social Security Retirement Insurance Benefits when she died in August 2014, according to court records. Her death was never reported to the Social Security Administration, and the benefit payments continued.

Prosecutors said Morlen continued to access the funds, totaling $131,457, and use them for his own personal expenses until last year.

As part of his sentence, Morlen must repay the stolen money.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)