Former college football player sentenced for tax fraud

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – A former University of South Dakota football player has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for his role in an identity theft scheme that fraudulently collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax refunds.

The Argus Leader (http://argusne.ws/15EHTX9 ) reports Marquis Butler was sentenced Monday on one count each of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to defraud the federal government. He also was ordered to pay nearly $66,000 in restitution to the IRS and identity theft victims.

Butler was accused of being part of a group that recruited students and others to steal identities and used them to file fraudulent tax returns.

He was among 11 people, including former students and football players, who were indicted in connection with the scheme that netted more than $421,000 in 2012.