A West Virginia man who tried to help his wife fake her death by telling police she fell off a cliff so she could avoid health care fraud charges has been sentenced to eight months in prison.

Rodney Wheeler was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to federal charges of conspiring to obstruct justice.

Wheeler and his wife Julie Wheeler had devised an elaborate plan to fake her death in order to keep her out of prison for healthcare fraud.

He had called 911 on May 31 of last year to report that his wife had fallen from a steep vantage point in West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park as she supposedly searched for her loop. hear.

Rodney Wheeler was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to federal conspiracy to obstruct justice charges after helping his wife Julie fake her own death in May last year

Her call sparked a massive two-day search and rescue mission for the mother-of-two that involved hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement.

The police later found Julie hiding in her house.

During the search, rescue personnel found a shoe and a cell phone that belonged to Julie at the lookout base.

Wheeler also repeatedly made false statements to state and federal investigators while the research was ongoing.

He also continued to lie on social media with research posts underway.

“I get a lot of private messages so I think I better deal with this… the accident at Grandview yesterday involved my wife,” he wrote in a Facebook post on the evening of June 1. 2020.

Rodney called 911 on May 31 of last year to report that his wife had fallen from a steep vantage point in West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park. Her call sparked a massive two-day search and rescue mission for the mother-of-two (pictured above)

Wheeler repeatedly made false statements to state and federal investigators while the research was ongoing. He also continued to lie on social media with articles (above) on ongoing research.

“They haven’t found her yet, but I hope she’s found and that she’s fine… I’m heartbroken and lost right now, but I have to keep the faith… please , give us time to work. this and please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. ‘

Julie was found two days later hiding in a closet in her house.

Authorities said the Wheelers planned to go into hiding together.

Prosecutors said the Wheelers crafted the plan so she could avoid a federal conviction in a health care fraud case related to overcharging.

She was sentenced to three years and six months for health care fraud fraud after admitting to submitting fraudulent claims to the VA Spina Bifida health care benefit program where she overcharged for providing spina care. bifida to a member of his family.

In addition to this prison sentence, Julie was also ordered to pay compensation in the amount of $ 289,000 for the overcharging program.

She also received an additional year in prison for conspiring to obstruct justice related to the fake death plan.

Police later found Julie hiding in a closet at her home two days later. Prosecutors said the Wheelers crafted the plan so she could avoid federal conviction in overcharging health care fraud case