An Austin man who allegedly used a deceased individual’s identity to get medical benefits at the Austin Medical Center was charged with three felony counts of forgery Tuesday.

Faustino Munoz-Hernandez, 29, is scheduled for arraignment Dec. 10 in Mower County court.

According to a criminal complaint, AMC staff contacted Austin police in late October regarding a “Mauricio Gonzalez III” who had been receiving benefits since 2002, but not making payments.

Staff also said their records showed that Gonzalez III died in January of 2008, but that a person under that name last went to the hospital earlier this year and scanned a Quality Pork Processors insurance card to receive service.

Further investigation by Austin police confirmed that Gonzalez III died in 2008 but that he had a string of addresses — including in Kansas, Texas and Ohio — up until present day.

Police also asked QPP about Gonzalez III and the company provided a number of employment documents in his name, including an I-9 form.

On Monday, police went to QPP and interviewed Munoz-Hernandez. He admitted that he had been working at QPP as Gonzalez III since 2001. He said he purchased Gonzalez III’s Social Security card for $200 and used it to get Minnesota identification.

Munoz-Hernandez also said that he was born in Mexico and had been living in the U.S. for the last 10 years. Recently, he had been living at 1704 Oakland Ave. E., the complaint states.

Munoz-Hernandez is in custody on $50,000 bail, or $10,000 with certain court conditions.