A Tattnall County resident faces sentencing after pleading guilty on May 21 to cashing disability payments intended for a deceased family member.
Danny Alan Guyton, 53, of Reidsville, pled guilty to Theft of Government Money, Property, or Records, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Guyton to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, substantial fines, restitution, and up to three years of supervised release following any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Fraud against federal Social Security programs is a direct abuse of taxpayer-funded support intended for those who earned those benefits,” said Heap. “We are committed to protecting government resources and holding accountable those who would fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.”
According to the plea agreement described by prosecutors, from about June 2021 until April 2025 in Tattnall County, Guyton received Social Security disability compensation issued on behalf of his deceased father-in-law and used the funds through ATM withdrawals, retail purchases, and living expenses. The scheme resulted in a loss to the U.S. Government estimated at $60,170.
“Stealing benefits intended for vulnerable Americans by using the identity of a deceased individual is unacceptable,” said Norman Jenkins, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge with the Atlanta Field Division of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who fraudulently obtain Social Security funds and to protect the integrity of these vital programs for those who depend on them.”
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing after completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil litigation for the United States; it also operates its headquarters in Savannah with a staffed branch office in Augusta and employs about 70 attorneys and support staff as part of its work under the United States Department of Justice, according to their official website.
