ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man concealed the death of his uncle – a U.S. Army veteran – for several years and collected more than $650,000 in disability benefits, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment.

Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, was indicted Wednesday on several federal felony charges, including four counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of theft of government property and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment alleges that Ditch, who was solely responsible for his uncle’s care beginning in 2008, kept his uncle locked in his garage and under his control so he could fraudulently obtain his government benefits.

The indictment claims that Ditch trapped his uncle in the garage for over 24 hours at a time, forcing his uncle “to sit in his own urine and feces without the ability to eat or drink.”

After his uncle’s death around 2019, Ditch allegedly concealed his death and the body so he could continue to receive the money. The indictment says Ditch told relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home.

Ditch’s uncle received nearly $10,000 a month in Disability Compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to $235,000 in social security and retirement benefits since 2008.

The indictment accuses Ditch of using the money to buy exotic reptiles, fund lavish vacations and enrich himself.

Salem police officers found the uncle’s partially frozen body in a trash can in March, as well as three shotguns, per the indictment.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits veterans or steals their VA benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the VA OIG’s Central Field Office. “VA’s programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG will bring to justice those who would defraud these programs.”

Ditch, who has prior felony convictions, is expected to pleaded not guilty to charges in a scheduled federal court hearing Friday in St. Louis.