Man accused of trying to take unclaimed property

PEORIA -- a 79-year-old san diego man faces mail fraud charges for allegedly faking that he owned items held by the illinois state treasurer's unclaimed property division.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Marvin Bernard Gold on Tuesday.

Authorities say Gold allegedly submitted statements to the Treasurer's Office for items worth almost $52,000.

According to the indictment, Gold claimed he lived in Chicago in 2003 and owned abandoned property. He also allegedly assumed another identify and posed as an heir to an estate of a deceased person.

Attempts to reach Gold on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Gold will appear in federal court in Springfield later. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.