Jacksonville, Fla. » A Florida man faces up to 12 years in federal prison for burying his mother in her backyard so that he could continue collecting her retirement payments.

Prosecutors say Brian Adams admitted that he failed to notify anyone that his mother had died of natural causes in July 2014.

U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III says in a news release that the 56-year-old Adams of Green Cove Springs pleaded guilty on Monday to theft of government property and aggravated identity theft.

Adams told investigators that he used his mother’s name on Social Security and pension payment checks and transferred $35,345 between her accounts, which he used himself.