A Bulgarian man, who allegedly assumed the identity of a slain boy in the United States, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of identity theft and making false statements to the government.

Doitchin Krasev, who moved to the United States around 1992, faced on Tuesday the US District Court in Portland. The trial has been scheduled for December 14.

Federal investigators believe that in 1996 he stole the identity of Jason Evers, a three-year-old boy who was murdered in 1982.

Count one charges Krasev with knowingly making false statements on his passport application on Oct. 23, 2002, by using the name, social security number and date of birth of Jason Robert Evers.

Count two charges him with aggravated identity theft on March 10, 2008, for using the boy's social security number in an application for the job of regional manager with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

The man, who brought him to Bulgaria - attorney Michael Horowitz, says he hoped that Krasev would use his time in the United States to prepare for a leadership role upon his return to Bulgaria. He explained that one day, but learned quickly that Krasev did not share that goal.

"He would say, 'I'm not Bulgarian. Stop it,'" Horowitz recalled.

Instead, Horowitz believes, Krasev came to love American life and didn't want to return to Bulgaria, where "the only way you got something was by taking it from someone else.

"He wanted a culture of freedom," Horowitz said. "He wanted a culture where trusting somebody didn't make you a sucker."