A Mine Hill NJ man is set to face charges that he committed fraud by lying about his military record in order to get undeserved gifts.
According to Morris County prosecutors, the 66-year-old suspect lied about being a POW in Vietnam, as well as telling a false story about how he saved the lives of eight soldiers during a battle in the Vietnam War.
The suspect allegedly told people that he held the rank of sergeant and/or captain in the Army. However, he was actually discharged as a private first class. Moreover, the suspect was reportedly never a prisoner of war and never actually received a Purple Heart in the military, according to law enforcement.
Among the benefits the suspect reportedly derived from lying about his military service were a Distinguished Service Medal from Morris County officials and a $30,000 deck provided by a private business.
The Mine Hill suspect was arrested by Wharton police and later charged with a number of crimes, including theft by deception, tampering with public records, and violating the New Jersey Stolen Valor Act. He was also charged with filing false applications to receive benefits through the Purple Heart and Wounded Warrior programs.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office recently announced that it will be referring the case to a grand jury for possible indictment.
After being placed under arrest and charged, the suspect was remanded to the Morris County Jail in Morristown, NJ. He was being held at the jail in lieu of a $10K bail amount.
For additional information about this case, go to the NJ.com article, “Case Against Man Accused of Lying about Army Record Will Go to Grand Jury.”
