Man arrested for posing as Navy Officer

[ccheese]

Michael Ray Jacobs, a former Virginia Beach, VA. man, with a long history of defrauding people, has been charged with impersonating a
U.S. Navy Officer, complete with medals he never earned. Jacobs, 52, was never in the U.S. Navy ! He's now serving a 14 year prison term for convictions for un-related incidents.

Complete story here: Ex-Va. Beach man accused of posing as Navy officer | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

I have absolutely no use for any man who impersonates a military person, claims to have been a member of a elite military organization, who wears medals or ribbons he has no right to wear or who tells tales of "daring do" that never happened.

Men I know, who tell tales of their military service will "embellish" things , or exaggerate "numbers", and I don't put them in the same category as the outright fraud of this guy Jacobs. The Stolen Valor Act of 2006 was suppose to correct that sort of thing....... but...

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005, signed into law by President George W. Bush on December 20, 2006, is a U.S. law that broadens the provisions of previous U.S. law addressing the unauthorized wear, manufacture, or sale of any military decorations and medals. It makes it a federal misdemeanor offense to falsely represent oneself as having received any U.S. military decoration or medal. If convicted, defendants may be imprisoned for up to six months, unless the decoration lied about is the Medal of Honor, in which case imprisonment could be up to one year.

However.... The Stolen Valor Act has been ruled Un-constitutional, by several Federal courts saying it infringes on one's right to free speech.

Charles

[pbfoot]

I knew of many people posing as officers the only difference was they were in the military

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Another coward in my opinion. Can't be willing to make the sacrifice, but are willing to fake it. I will leave it at that, it just pisses me off so much.

[ccheese]

I understand the Stolen Valor Act has been amended, so it is a crime if you impersonate a military person with intentions to defraud or otherwise cheat someone out of their money.

Charles

[Matt308]

Has the amendment been approved, Mr. C? That certainly sounds like it should be constitutional. You can be an azzhole and dress up like someone based upon the first amendment. I don't like it. Just like I don't like flag burning. But as soon as you cross the line to take advantage of somebody while doing so, that should be mandatory jail time. And frankly it should be a felony.

[meatloaf109]

Didn't know lying was "Freedom of speech". In that case, I'm a globe trotting Billionare with a huge....
Oh, and my favorite plane of all time is the P-35

[FLYBOYJ]

A little over a year ago I almost punched out a patron in a bar who wore dress whites in the middle of the winter, was wearing LDCR rank, said he was an F-18 pilot while wearing NFO wings, and said he flew off the USS Reagan during the Gulf War. His ribbons were all out of sequence, had a "Guess" jacket draped over his sholders and had a goatee growing in, and this @sshole just happened to sit next to me! I produced my old military ID (expired) and asked him to do the same. When he didn't I told him if he didn't immediately leave I was going to rip off his head and pee down his neck. I did manage to grab his wings and medals and rip them off his uniform and throw them across the parking lot as I chased him to his car. The bouncers held me back as this @sshat drove away. I was allowed back into the establishment only if I promised to calm down and accept all the free shots that were being ordered for me by those who witnessed this. Needless to say I called a cab that night!


This dude was doing this just to try to hit on some of the female patrons in this bar!

[Matt308]

Didn't know lying was "Freedom of speech".

You must have been sick all ninth grade and missed your US Govt class.

[mikewint]

We've been down this road before and while I detest this fraud as much as all of you one must be VERY careful about abridging any constitutional rights. One cannot yell FIRE in a crowded theater but telling lies to groups of people is just called politics. The rights of those we dislike, detest, and hate are the rights we have to protect the most.
All that having been said, FBJ I do admire what you did what a moron he was, congrats

[Messy1]

It is illegal to impersonate a police officer, weather or not you are trying to commit a crime, this should be as well!

[RabidAlien]

FBJ, I don't drink, but I'll buy your first round if we ever happen to be in the same town. To me, impersonating someone in the military is the lowest form of cowardice, and punishable by a quick trip to (and a long stay in) a back alley. Freedom of speech? No. That's crossing the line, "intent to defraud" or not.

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

With all here.

[evangilder]

Someone posing as a standing member of the military for any reason is just plain wrong. If he was just doing it to score some girls, he is a serious dumbass. If my daughter ever came home with a dirtbag like that, I would toss him to the curb, after he got one of my Corcoran jump boots in the ass.

[Njaco]

You must have been sick all ninth grade and missed your US Govt class.

Only have 2 words Matt.....Eminent Domain!

[Matt308]

It is illegal to impersonate a police officer, weather or not you are trying to commit a crime, this should be as well!

That is not true. Look... I'm NOT supporting this asshat, but you can dress up all day long as a cop and jaw people. What you can't do is dress up as a cop and direct them to do something, pull them over or change their behavior based upon perceived authority. If a dickhead wants some p*ssy by dressing up like Tom Cruise, he is a dickhead only. He has not broached the constitution and the "lady" in question gets everything she deserves for opening her legs.

May the FlyboyJ's of this world keep these dickheads in check.

Simple as that folks. I don't like it, but this is not a fed govt issue, UNLESS a crime is committed.