Nine area veterans are accused of defrauding the government of more than $56,000 by allegedly falsifying mileage reimbursement statements to the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, according to authorities.

The veterans were indicted by a Montgomery County Grand Jury on several felony charges, according to Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr., following an investigation earlier this year by the VA Office of the Inspector General.

“This money should have been used for the legitimate medical care of Dayton area veterans, particularly our returning combat veterans,” Gavin T. McClaren, a VA Office of the Inspector General resident agent-in-charge in Cleveland, said in a statement Tuesday.

Eligible veterans are paid for their travel to the Dayton VA to obtain medical services. Each of the accused faces a charge of tampering with government records, a third-degree felony.

In addition, those facing a fifth-degree felony for theft over $1,000 included: Marilyn Bailey, 57, of Clayton; Henry Barley, 50, of Dayton; Kevin Frazier, 39, of Dayton; Brian Honshell, 29, of Dayton; Derrick H. Jackson, 58, of Dayton; Phillip E. Jackson, 55, of Dayton; and Clifton Moxley, 48, of Dayton.

The defendants facing a fourth-degree felony of grand theft over $7,500 were Jerry Colbert, 54, of Lima; and Donald Lucas, 57, of Dayton.

“While we are thankful for the defendants’ service to their country, they took advantage of their status and illegally received thousands of taxpayer dollars,” Heck said in a statement.

Joanne Moffett, a spokeswoman at the VA Office of Inspector General, said the agency could not comment on the specifics of the cases prior to a conviction.

If convicted, the defendants could serve up to 4 1/2 years in prison, officials said. The nine will be arraigned Nov. 6 in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, said Greg Flannigan, a spokesman for Heck.