Windsor man suspected of stealing IDs from homeless veterans to pay his rent

A Windsor man was indicted by a federal grand jury and is suspected of stealing the identities of homeless veterans and using their federal support funds to pay his own rent.

William Michael Andrews, 50, appeared in federal court in Oakland on Thursday morning and was charged with theft of government property and aggravated identity theft, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Justice.

A case worker for an East Bay nonprofit, Andrews is suspected of stealing the Social Security numbers of homeless veterans he worked with to use Veteran Affairs grant money to pay his own landlord, the Justice Department said. The federal funds were intended to house the homeless.

Andrews faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, officials said. He was released from federal custody after posting a $50,000 bond.