Re: Tucson Shooters
This is what I was looking for....
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Phil1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">RIVERSIDE (CBS) ―
Steven Douglas Burton, 39, of Palm Springs, agreed Friday to plead guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge.
Burton had been accused of impersonating a military officer and wearing medals for bravery he was never awarded.
He's expected to appear before U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside on Dec. 14 to formally enter his plea, according to the U.S.
Attorney's Office.
He faces up to a year in federal prison and $100,000 in fines.
Burton showed up for his 20-year class reunion at Alhambra High School in Martinez, Calif., in October 2008 wearing a Marine Corps dress uniform studded with medals, including the Navy Cross -- the second-highest commendation for heroism.
Burton wore lieutenant colonel's insignia and allegedly told people he spent a career in the service, according to an FBI investigation.
One of the defendant's classmates, a U.S. Navy commander, was suspicious and snapped a photograph of Burton, which shows him wearing 14 medals, including a Navy Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Legion of Merit badge and
Combat Action ribbon.
The commander made an official inquiry regarding Burton's military service and discovered he was not, nor had he ever been, a U.S. Marine or a member of any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, according to the FBI.
The FBI later learned that Burton had an Internet blog where he wrote about overseas tours of duty that involved combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Burton also posted an online picture of himself on Coronado Island wearing a USMC uniform, complete with medals and stripes showing the rank of mastery gunnery sergeant.
Burton reportedly purchased many of the military decorations on eBay and at military surplus stores, including one near Twentynine Palms.
According to the plea agreement, he chose to pose as a Marine because he
"<span style="font-weight: bold">preferred the USMC uniforms to the others</span>."
Burton actually works at a Palm Springs bank, according to the FBI.
He remains free on a $10,000 bond.
http://cbs2.com/local/steven.burton.plea.2.1351040.html Evidently, according to the admission of guilt within the plea deal he chose to be a marine because "preferred the USMC uniforms to the others."
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