Muscatine, Iowa — A Muscatine couple who lived for four years on rent, food and medical assistance from state and federal government agencies pleaded guilty to fraud Monday in U.S. District Court in Davenport.

Mary Louise Brown, 50, and Michael Dale Scalf, 42, collected nearly $110,000 in benefits from 2001-05, officials said. Of that, $19,000 was from the federal government and more than $90,000 was from state agencies.

Brown and Scalf are married, and Scalf made up to $32,000 a year working, officials said. However, Brown listed only herself and her sons on yearly applications for federal housing aid. Brown also pleaded guilty to making a false statement.

When Brown applied to live at Cedar Park Apartments in Muscatine in 2001, she listed herself and her two sons as the occupants of the apartment. She listed her income as $5,735 a year.

She filled out the forms again in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, noting that she and her sons would be the occupants of the apartment. She listed her income as $4,332 for each year except 2005, when she listed it as $0.

Prosecutor Rich Westphal said the government would produce documents showing a joint bank account with deposits of Scalf’s paychecks and withdrawals by both Brown and Scalf. It would also produce evidence of Scalf’s employment and pay.

Scalf used a false address in Stockton, Iowa.

The charges carry a possible penalty of up to five years in prison.

Ann McGlynn can be contacted at 563-383-2336 or amcglynn@qctimes.com.