Man steals dead brother’s identity

Criminal record kept him from finding
work

Updated: Friday, 07 Aug 2009, 11:21 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 07 Aug 2009, 10:55 PM EDT

ROCKFORD, Mich. (WOOD) – Errol Copeland of Rockford was sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading guilty to identity theft in both Kent and Montcalm Counties.

Copeland has a criminal record stemming from a breaking and entering conviction in Kalamazoo county in 1988.

24 Hour News 8 is told that conviction led to problems finding work, so he took the name of his brother Erin who died as an infant.

Neighbors say Copeland mostly kept to himself.

The Greenville Daily News reports he was arrested when he was pulled over by a police officer who knew Copeland’s name was Errol from their days at school.

That officer noticed his license had a different name on it.

Copeland is being allowed to wait until September to begin serving his jail sentence.

 For more information on identity theft, please log on to http://www.prepaidlegal.com/idt/bking62 or call Brandon King at 1-866-510-7907.