Air Force officer allegedly vandalized cars with pro-Bush bumper stickers

9NEWS ^ | 8/9/2005 7:16 PM MDT | Chip Yost

[RandallFlagg]

DENVER - Denver police say a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force has admitted to vandalizing cars bearing pro-President Bush bumper stickers at Denver International Airport.

Police say he's responsible for thousands of dollars in damage on at least 12 cars. Lt. Colonel Alexis Fecteau, 42, of Colorado Springs, turned himself in to Denver police Friday.

He is director of reserve operations at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, in charge of more than 40 full-time and traditional reservists.

In the arrest affidavit, Denver police say Fecteau admitted to damaging several cars after police conducted a sting-operation to catch the anti-Bush vandal.

"It was pretty good police work," said Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson. He said his department took this case very seriously. "You still have a right to express yourself in this country and you shouldn't have your car vandalized because of it."

Jackson said one of the detectives put out a bait car in late June, complete with a Bush/Cheney 2004 bumper sticker, in the west economy lot at DIA. On July 1st, with a security camera zoomed in to watch, an SUV drove by the bait car, and a short time later a man entered the scene. The man in the video appeared to spray paint something on the back of the car and then continued to do something on the side of the car.

When officers returned to the bait car, the bumper sticker had been painted over and the words "F--- Bush" were spray-painted on the side of the car.

Police used airport exit logs to trace the license plate of the SUV believed to be seen in the bait car surveillance video to Fecteau.

When Fecteau's SUV was spotted parked in the DIA lot on a subsequent visit, police impounded it. When Fecteau approached police about the whereabouts of his SUV, a DPD detective confronted him. Court records show that at that time, Fecteau admitted to the DIA vandalism and said he started damaging vehicles around "election time" last year.

The affidavit shows Fecteau told investigators he didn't mean the graffiti to be a threat against President Bush. He went on to admit he has scratched the same kind of graffiti into "a couple of cars" with his "keys and key holder."

Inside Fecteau's 2001 Ford Excursion, police found a bin full of products, including a tube of Park Tube Polylube, a grease used for bicycle repairs, a spray can of Kleen Strip Auto Strip paint thinner, and Krylon Textured Shimmer paint.

Fecteau faces one count of felony criminal mischief and at least five other misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief. Fecteau has posted a $5,000 bond and is due back in court later this month.

Air Force spokesperson Major Barbara Matthew told 9News in a phone interview Monday the service hasn't taken action against Fecteau in regards to the vandalism. Instead, Matthew said, the Air Force plans to allow due process through local law enforcement. Calls to Fecteau's work and home were not returned.

One of the vandalized cars belongs to Jeremy Kinney, owner of Kinney Oil Co. of Denver. Kinney is a long-time friend of President George W. Bush. The two attended Yale together in the 1960s and have remained friends ever since.

"You feel violated in a sense when something like this happens, but it was more disappointment than anger," said Kinney, who worked on both of George W. Bush's presidential campaigns.

Kinney had a "Bush for President" bumper sticker stuck on a tool-box located on his 1992 Ford truck. When he returned from a flight on June 19, he noticed the bumper sticker had been painted over and the words "F--- Bush" were painted on the side of the car.

It cost Kinney more than $250 to fix the damage. But, he said, there is a larger price to pay for this kind of vandalism.

"It just reinforced to me the lack of political discourse that takes place in this country, polite political discourse," Kinney said.

"There is so much anger in politics that I find it not only counter-productive but annoying and disappointing."

[boomop1]

First bust him down to E-0, then 5 years probation with forfeiture of retirement.

[the anti-liberal]

What was the question?

[I see my hands]

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"When they flip you off, you should smile real big--like you don't understand, and you think they LIKE you. That'll piss 'em off!"

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Careful, some here will think you are too activist.

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[USNBandit]

Here's a little quick trip through the UCMJ.

ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

ART. 109. PROPERTY OTHER THAN MILITARY PROPERTY OF UNITED STATES-- WASTE, SPOILAGE, OR DESTRUCTION
Any person subject to this chapter who willfully or recklessly wastes, spoils, or otherwise willfully and wrongfully destroys or damages any property other than military property of the United States shall be punished as a court-martial may direct

ART. 133. CONDUCT UNBECOMING AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN
Any commissioned officer, cadet, or midshipman who is convicted of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman shall be punished as a court-martial may direct

ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE
Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.

BAM! I personally can't understand anybody that serves in the Armed Forces with this guy's political leanings. It must eat him up everyday.

[TC Rider]

He is director of reserve operations at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, in charge of more than 40 full-time and traditional reservists unemployed.

He can fill his days hanging out at DU.

[Spruce]

Lt. Colonel Alexis Fecteau is a pussy. I bet his subordinates hate him. Sack him.

[Don Carlos]

I have had people vandalize my vehicles over the years for being in the military, Vietnam, or favored a conservative candidate. I don't put stickers on my car anymore.

Hells bells, I've had my pickup vandalized for having a 5X7 American flag in the back window. Magic marker obscenities on the flag and the paint work.

If I had caught that punk, he would still be walking bent forward and singing soprano!

[ChildOfThe60s]

Good question. In this case, because the damage was intentional and malicious, I think he could be hauled before a board (forgot what it is called) for "conduct unbecoming an officer" and knocked down in rank, at the very least.

In my personal opinion, he should be given a less than honorable discharge. Which will never happen. The left would go berserk, claiming repression of political expression.

[daybreakcoming]

Thanks for being persistent and getting this story out here. It needs to go national. This wasn't just any lefty dummy but "He is director of reserve operations at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, in charge of more than 40 full-time and traditional reservists."

[jimfree]

At least loss of clearance and loss of his director job; they can't not reassign him with this nonsense going on. Career-ending for sure; no more position of trust. It might indeed result in administrative discharge (by reason of civil conviction) and loss of pension. Conduct unbecoming charges and a GCM conviction with jail time would be welcome but not totally necessary for me.

[Paleo Conservative]

Can't his pension also be yanked?

[Chode]

BURN HIM!!!

[Old Student]

"I stand corrected about the Article 88 thing. I finished reading the article and saw that the USAF wasn't going to do anything to him. Lt Col Moonbat only has to face the local authorities."

I believe that is so far...

I knew a few people who got in jail trouble downtown, one place and another. AF didn't do anything to them while they were serving their terms... then charged them with AWOL for the time they were jailed. Hopefully, they'll do something similar to this idjit.

[Paleo Conservative]

"Fecteau" sounds French to me.

[Cautor]

I see he lives in Colorado Springs per Dogpile.

[axes_of_weezles]

Here is where he works. Want to call him up? Theres a toll free number, too.

http://www.thenssi.com/about.asp?Page=Contacts



Director of Air Force Reserve
Phone: (719) 593-8794 x220
Alt Phone: Toll Free (866) 767-7287 x220
Email: nssirv@schriever.af.mil



His boss' phone number and listing is there too.

[axes_of_weezles]

This guy is not a fast burner either. Made Lt Col in May 03 from FY01, when they were promoting like crazy prior to the kickoff of the war.

http://arpc.afrc.af.mil/promotions/officer/ltc/05_03%20USAFR%20Line%20and%20Health%20Mandatory%20Select%20List.htm

[beaversmom]

Well this guy is a real bonehead. Why would he ruin his career in the military to do something so stupid? I don't get it.

[Americanexpat]

Article 88 Just read that in one of the above posts. Every soldier and civilian I knew when Bill Clinto and Jimmy Carter were in office were guilty of that one.

Regardless, even if the USAF don't do anything to him his career is over. He didn't shoot himself in the foot, he blew his frigging leg off.