Matthew David Keirans, a 59-year-old IT expert from Wisconsin, lived under another man’s identity for over three decades. His deception led to the wrongful incarceration and forced medication of his victim, William Woods. On Friday, Keirans was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft and making false statements.
How It All Began
Keirans and Woods first met in the 1980s while working at a hot dog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1988, Keirans stole Woods’ wallet and used his Social Security number to obtain an ID in Woods’ name. From that moment, Keirans abandoned his real identity and began living as Woods.
Over the years, he got married, had a child, and secured a job at the University of Iowa Hospital, all while using Woods’ identity. He also took out credit union loans worth over $200,000.
Victim’s Nightmare: Wrongful Arrest and Forced Medication
While Keirans thrived, Woods struggled with homelessness. In 2015, YouTuber FouseyTube featured Woods in videos, providing him with food and shelter. With Fousey’s help, Woods subscribed to a credit-monitoring service, which exposed fraudulent financial activities under his name.
In 2019, Woods visited a Los Angeles bank to report the fraud. However, since Keirans had set up security questions under Woods’ name, the bank suspected Woods of being the imposter. Police arrested him for identity theft.
During his legal battle, Woods’ protests were ignored. Authorities deemed him mentally unfit, sending him to a psychiatric hospital where he was forcibly medicated. He spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in the hospital before agreeing to a plea deal to secure his release.
Justice Served
Determined to reclaim his identity, Woods persisted in filing reports. A detective later confirmed his identity using DNA from his biological father. Confronted with the evidence, Keirans finally admitted to his crimes, saying, “My life is over.”
Now back in Albuquerque, Woods is working as a landscaper and plans to seek compensation for his wrongful incarceration.