Man Who Stole Victim’s Identity for Decades Sentenced to 12 Years

A Wisconsin man who lived under another person’s identity for more than 30 years—so convincingly that his victim was wrongfully imprisoned—has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

Matthew David Keirans, 59, of Hartland, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty last year to aggravated identity theft and making false statements to a financial institution. His deception not only destroyed the life of his victim, William Woods, but also led to Woods’ forced medication and incarceration for crimes he did not commit.

A Friendship Turned Into a Life-Altering Theft

Keirans and Woods met in the late 1980s while working at a hot dog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1988, Keirans stole Woods’ wallet but returned it after Woods confronted him. However, during the brief time Keirans had the wallet, he used Woods’ Social Security number to obtain a driver’s license under his name.

From that moment on, Keirans abandoned his real identity. By 1990, he was officially living as William Woods.

Keirans built an entire life under the stolen name, marrying, having a child, securing jobs, and taking out more than $200,000 in loans. Meanwhile, Woods struggled to make ends meet, at one point living on the streets of Los Angeles.

YouTube Fame and the Discovery of Fraud

In 2015, Woods gained brief online fame when popular YouTuber Yousef Saleh Erakat, known as FouseyTube, featured him in a series of videos. Erakat provided Woods with food and shelter, drawing attention to his difficult circumstances.

With money Erakat gave him, Woods signed up for a credit-monitoring service and was shocked to discover massive debts and multiple accounts opened in his name.

Determined to clear his name, Woods walked into a Los Angeles bank in 2019 and demanded an investigation. Instead of receiving help, he was arrested.

Victim Wrongfully Jailed While Thief Lived Freely

When police contacted the person they believed to be the real William Woods—Keirans—he falsely claimed that Woods was the impostor.

Believing Keirans, authorities arrested Woods and charged him with identity theft and false impersonation.

Woods, desperate to prove his identity, provided police with family names and even offered to contact the owner of the hot dog cart where he and Keirans first met. But his pleas were ignored.

A judge later ruled that Woods was not mentally competent to stand trial, and he was sent to a California state mental hospital, where he was forcibly medicated.

In total, Woods spent 428 days in county jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before finally being released after agreeing to a no-contest plea. His conviction was later vacated.

DNA Test Unravels the Deception

Following his release, Woods launched a relentless campaign to reclaim his identity. When he reached out to the University of Iowa Hospital—where Keirans was working as an IT professional earning over $100,000 a year—security officials contacted police.

Keirans initially dismissed Woods’ claims, telling authorities that his victim “needed help and should be locked up.”

However, detectives obtained a DNA sample from Woods’ biological father, which confirmed that Woods was telling the truth.

When confronted with the evidence, Keirans reportedly said, “My life is over.”

Sentencing and the Fight for Justice

During Friday’s sentencing, Woods expressed relief that his long nightmare was finally over.

“He deserved to get every bit of what he got from the judge,” Woods said.

Keirans’ defense attorney attempted to paint Woods as a “wrongdoer” who had tried to steal money from Keirans, but the court rejected those arguments.

Woods, now living in Albuquerque and working as a landscaper, says he plans to seek compensation for his wrongful incarceration.

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