A Poser is Caught and Arrested - Whoopie!!!

I'm not sure this is the place for this article but I just felt
that everybody on this site should read it and be on the
alert for a possible similar situation.

:By Eric Moskowitz
Globe Staff / December 27, 2008
quote:
WOBURN - As an Army Ranger who served two tours in
Iraq and one in Afghanistan, Nick Ford thought there was
something suspicious about the man seeking holiday
donations for military families at Ford's local Stop & Shop
Paul K. Guilmain Jr. told shoppers that he was an Iraq veteran
and National Guard member, but to Ford he didn't look like
anyone who'd seen duty in years. The paunchy 44-year-old
slouched, went hatless, and wore outdated woodland
camouflage fatigues - the kind with the green, black, brown,
and beige pattern, not the more modern design. The rank on
his sleeve, corporal, didn't fit with his age.
"It took every ounce of restraint not to rip this guy's face off,"
said Ford, who opted instead for friendliness and a discreet
investigation. His sleuthing led to Guilmain's arrest on
Christmas Eve at the Woburn Super Stop & Shop, near
Ford's home.

Guilmain, who lives in Lynn, was arraigned yesterday on
charges that he posed as a representative of a national
veterans organization and pocketed the money for himself.
"I just chatted him up, got all buddy-buddy with him. I even
put five bucks in his little jar just to keep it cool," said Ford,
a 23-year-old Purple Heart recipient, in an interview outside
the supermarket. "He trusted that I wasn't onto him, [but] the
second I left this place I was already investigating him."
Guilmain toted a clipboard with a letter that appeared to be
from the National Veterans Foundation, and he had the
foundation's logo on his collection jar, authorities said.
Additionally, Guilmain - who had permission to solicit inside the
store from the supermarket's manager - decorated a festive,
if grammatically incorrect, poster proclaiming "MILITARY FAMILY'S
FOR THE HOLIDAYS."

But Guilmain had no connection with the national foundation, a
Los Angeles-based organization that does not solicit in person
and that provides counseling and referral services to veterans.
Tyrone Ballesteros, the agency's office manager, said Ford
called a few weeks ago asking about the agency's supposed
Woburn representative. "I said, 'No, we don't have any
representatives in Boston,' " Ballesteros said yesterday,
praising Ford's diligence.

"He was the one that actually did really all the work in getting
this guy off the streets and getting him arrested," he said. "This
Iraqi vet was just so upset and so angry that someone would
be representing veterans like that."

Ford said he did not want to "bring the cavalry in" without being
certain Guilmain was not legitimate. So he monitored the
supermarket, he said, and waited for Guilmain to arrive on
Christmas Eve before calling the police. Ford then met Patrolman
William F. Murphy Jr. outside the supermarket and led him to
Guilmain.Police handcuffed Guilmain, on an outstanding warrant
from Salem; the new charges would follow at the station. Police
also confiscated the $150.27 he had collected that afternoon,
according to Murphy's report.

With Guilmain still in handcuffs and camouflage cargo pants, a
prosecutor in Woburn District Court yesterday cited his criminal
history - which she said includes 22 convictions, including several
on larceny and stolen-property charges, and the use of multiple
aliases - in asking for bail to be set at $1,000.
"This particular case is a case that involves deceit and fraud
against society," said Amanda Rowan, assistant Middlesex
district attorney.

Guilmain's court-appointed lawyer asked for his client to be
released, so he could take medication he missed while spending
Christmas in police custody, and so he could resolve a default
warrant from Salem District Court, where he owed money related
to a past larceny pleading and probation matter.

Judge Margaret R. Hinkle set bail at $500, ordering that Guilmain
post bail and proceed to Salem or be taken to Middlesex Jail,
where she recommended that he receive medical attention.
Guilmain pleaded not guilty to charges of larceny under $250
by false pretense and falsely using an association's name. He
did not post bail.

Guilmain apparently lifted the National Veterans Foundation's
logo-a stylized eagle, with stars and stripes - from its website,
Ballesteros said. "We're angry that we're being misrepresented,
and we're not receiving any of the funds to help veterans out,"
he said, adding that he hoped the matter would not discourage
donors from giving to legitimate veterans' organizations.
A spokesman for Stop & Shop said the chain employs a "fairly
rigorous vetting process" for charity requests, but the policy
would now be reviewed.

"We'll go back and take a really good, hard, long look at it to
make sure we don't have this type of repetition in any of our
stores," spokesman Gary Lewi said.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company. yep:

Way to Go Nick Ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sgtleo

 

Great post, Sarge! Rangers, aye!

Steve W.

 

Full marks to Nick Ford. Nice post.

 

To be 100% honest I found this on another site but felt
all those here should read it.

It happened practically in my back yard, so to speak,but
for Nick Ford I can only say "We need more like you"

Sgtleo

 

Unfortunately, this happens all-to-often. You run across it on the internet all the time; poseurs pretending to be veterans. Fortunately, the real veterans can usually sniff out a fraud fairly quickly.

 

Quite, there's often a few stories of this sorry ilk over at the arrse forums. They feature not only scumbags like Guilmain, but also folk who they class as walts, which are Walter Mitty types making up service.

The arrse lads are very good at laying righteous indignation on their targets, one they got on the front page of a national Scottish newspaper, another made the mistake of ebaying a dress uniform as having "been worn at a funeral of a colleague killed in Iraq", not only was that false but so were the claims of service they managed to not only get him in the news, but also got him banned from his local airsoft site, which was the closest he'd ever come to service, and also had him looking over his shoulder.

 

You might be interested in reading this thread where this subject has been discussed.

http://www.ww2f.com/military-history/27272-newspaper-reveals-bogus-war-medals.html

 

This also happened in Corpus Chisti just before I moved to Houston. A "Homeless Vet"" was arrested on several charges including that of posing as a Disabeled vet. Police were tipped off to this after as a USAF Sergeant back on his way to his Base in San Antonio, TX, had also contributed money to this individual-then became suspecious when shortly afterwards-watched this person walk to the parking-lot of a Conns Store across the street-walk to a 2006 model SILVERADO pickup truck-unlock it's doors getting in and driving away.

Angered; this Sgt got in his car, and raced after him-following him unseen to his 2-storey 5 bedroom brick home located in Kings Crossing sub-division. After watching the man go inside his well-maintained suburb home, called the police-who arrived shortly later-going to this mans door and getting him to step outside to be questioned-was arrested taken to jail.

This man admitted to making up to $2,000 a week doing this. It turnes out that he was currently a shift manager at a local eatery.

 

Someone-please delete this post--Danke.