Posted on 08/12/2005 2:21:03 PM PDT by pabianice
DENVER (Reuters) - A U.S. Air Force colonel has been charged with painting obscenities on parked cars bearing pro- President Bush bumper stickers, police said on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Alexis Fecteau, who supervises 41 full-time and part-time reservists at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo., is suspected of vandalizing 12 cars at Denver International Airport over a six-month period, Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.
"Lieutenant Colonel Fecteau has been charged with one count of felony mischief and six misdemeanor counts related to the vandalism," Jackson said.
Fecteau, who could not be reached for comment, is scheduled to be arraigned later this month.
Police said they received numerous complaints dating back to December 2004 from people with cars bearing Bush or Bush-Cheney campaign bumper stickers that their vehicles had been vandalized.
Police set up a bait car with a pro-Bush bumper sticker, parked it at the airport with a surveillance camera, and waited. On July 1, the camera recorded a man spray-painting over the bumper sticker with an expletive.
Investigators traced the license plate of the suspected vandal to Fecteau, 42, who turned himself into police last week and was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Jackson would not comment on a possible motive for the vandalism, but said one victim had to spend $2,000 on repairs after it was spray-painted, which led to the felony charge.
Maj. Tina Barber-Matthew, spokeswoman for the U.S. Air Force Space Command, said the case was under investigation, but that it would be "premature" to discuss what discipline Fecteau would face if convicted.
"Until we can validate or invalidate the charges, he is still on full-duty status," she said.
Barber-Matthew said Fecteau has been in charge at the post since October 2004. The institute provides ongoing training to Air Force personnel to keep them current on space technology and its applications, she said.
Yank any pension benefits before the guy can 'retire.'
This dork ought to resign his commission as soon as possible becauyse after crap like this, his career is gonna come to a screeching halt.
He'll be bypassed for everything and will get the worst assignments of all.
Deservedly so too.
How in the world does someone like this get into a sensitive position with the Air Force?
This guy is still holding his job? In the army his senior officer would have gone into his office, chewed him out, then relieved him for cause pending completion of the investigation. I guess air force standards are different.
Cane him.
Vandalizing cars cannot be called 'graffiti'.
My dad was a career Army officer. In his day if he'd done something like this (so inconceivable, I can't imagine) he would have been gone overnight.
As a brat, I was always reminded to watch my P's & Q's too so that I didn't ruin his career. Families counted then too.
"Fecteau", sounds frenchie. But then again so does vger!
I had my mirror kicked in over a bumper sticker in Madison, WI. Using your vehicle to voice an opinion provides an easy target for liberal vandals.
What a maroon!
Are you kidding? Just a few weeks ago, they found 49 people wandering around on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C. - All were in the country illegally.
I have two NRA stickers, one on either side of the rear view window. No problems in 4 years since I put them on...
Agree. It's good advice not to put anything on your vehicle. You do so at your own risk.
Cindy Sheehan and this guy should get married!
Bush is this jerk's Commander in Chief.
Try to do this to your boss in the private sector, get caught and something smelling like separation will hit you.
Demotion to Private for this Colonel's campaign needs to follow then a dihonorable.
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