Dressed as Marine, he took money for tots

[thedrifter]

Man got guns with charity's cash, cops say

Dressed as Marine, he took money for tots
December 5, 2003


BY CHRISTY ARBOSCELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER


A Roseville man posed as a Marine to collect money for Toys for Tots, then used some of the money to buy himself assault rifles, a handgun and ammunition, police say.

A real Marine became suspicious when he noticed details about the man's uniform were wrong.

The 33-year-old suspect is expected to face charges for possession of a concealed weapon and diverting charitable funds for personal use.

The first charge is a felony punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment. The latter is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months imprisonment.

"He is not being arrested because he wore a Marine uniform when he wasn't a Marine," Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga said. "The thing that got him in trouble was that he used some of the money for his own personal reasons and then carried a concealed weapon."

Marlinga's office has submitted a warrant for the arrest of the man, who police found in full uniform at Dave & Buster's in Utica on Nov. 26. Police say he has been soliciting money for the program while posing as a master gunnery sergeant at several different places in November.

"It's rare anywhere to have someone pose as a Marine for Toys for Tots," said Utica Police Chief Mike Reaves.

"We don't know what his intentions were," Reaves said.

According to a police report, the suspect contacted the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots programat Selfridge Air National Guard Base and identified himself as a retired master gunnery sergeant. He then spoke to Gunnery Sgt. Paul Kraus, Toys for Tots coordinator at Selfridge, and said he wanted to begin collecting at Dave & Buster's. Kraus approved the collection.

On Nov. 24, the suspect went to the Toys for Tots office at Eastland Mall to turn in $4,769in cash and get reimbursed for raffle prizes he said he bought. Kraus met with the man that day and was concerned because Toys for Tots does not hold raffles and it generally accepts toys, not money, he told police. It is against the Marine Code of Conduct to solicit anything.

Kraus told police he became suspicious during the conversation after he noticed inaccuracies with the man's uniform. The red stripe on the suspect's pants was stitched in white thread when it should be sewn in red. He wore a Navy Cross ribbon that he said he received in Kosovo. Kraus said no one was awarded the ribbon there. He also had a Purple Heart with three stars on it. The award represents a combat injury and the stars reflect additional injuries in other military campaigns. His stars were bronze. Official ones are gold.

When Kraus asked to see his military identification, the suspect said his identification was taken away when he became a covert operative for the Marines.

Kraus contacted police after that meeting. Police confirmed through military sources that the suspect was a Marine for a short time in 1988 and 1989, but had been discharged for a medical or punitive reason. They found him in a military uniform on his cell phone at the front entrance of Dave & Buster's Nov. 26. They questioned him and found a handgun in his briefcase. He did not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Police believe the suspect kept about $2,000 of the money he collected for Toys for Tots and used it to buy two AK47 assault rifles, one handgun, about 900 rounds of ammunition, one camouflage bulletproof vest and a laptop computer. Police retrieved the items from the briefcase, his car and his mother's Roseville home.

After questioning him, arresting him and confiscating the guns and other items, police released him, pending possible charges.

During questioning, the suspect again said he was in a covert operation and his commander is based in Quantico, Va., but cannot be found there because he, too, is involved in secret missions.

"Toys for Tots is not covert under any stretch of the imagination," Reaves said.

The suspect's mother told police she was afraid her son would hurt or kill someone. She said her son is mentally ill and refuses to seek treatment. He has been unemployed for several months and she had been supporting him.

"It seems like this person may be suffering from some emotional difficulties," Marlinga said.

Authorities do not want people to shy away from the fund-raiser that gives needy children toys during the holiday season.

"Toys for Tots is an excellent program. We do not want this to reflect on the program," Reaves said.




Contact CHRISTY OYAMA-ARBOSCELLO at 586-469-8085 or arboscello@freepress.com.


http://www.freep.com/news/locmac/usmc5_20031205.htm


Sempers,

Roger