Posted on 04/17/2010 12:44:44 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Big Bear Lake man accused of falsely using Joint Chiefs of Staff seal
On military forums online, Carmine "Bud" Cannarella was a U.S. Army lieutenant general bestowed with nearly every major combat and valor medal.
In at least one classified ad, he claimed to be a licensed clinical psychologist.
Federal authorities say he was neither, and have charged the Big Bear Lake man with fraudulently using the Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.
Cannarella, 64, is expected to plead guilty to the single felony count and be sentenced to five years in prison, according to an agreement filed this week in U.S. District Court in Riverside.
His actual service: He was discharged by the Army from guardsman basic training in 1966.
"Additionally, Cannarella cut and pasted (Department of Defense) news releases, purporting to show that (he) had been promoted to the rank of Army Major General," FBI agents wrote in a search warrant affidavit.
Agents began probing the retired Loma Linda University Medical Center employee in 2008, as he was embroiled in a probate dispute with his late girlfriend's sister. When investigators spoke with him on the phone, he identified himself as "Dr. Cannarella," the affidavit states.
They learned that the desert khaki uniform and patches he wore in at least one official-looking photo were purchased at a military surplus store in Riverside. They found that he once had applied to be Big Bear Lake's city manager, claiming many false honors including the Silver Star.
A search of his home uncovered lapel pins for the Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. The items were purchased on the Internet.
During a 2009 interview with authorities, Cannarella admitted to creating the documents, but said he did so only "to impress family, his wife and girlfriends," according to the affidavit.
(Excerpt) Read more at pe.com ...
He is a legend in his own mind, and now he can do the time.
Wow, a wife AND girlfriends...he is a big shot.
Man, I’m all for outing the guy.
But 5 years?
Seems a bit extreme.
he deserves it.
Can we get Obama for falsely using the Presidential Seal?
Actually it's too lenient.
Man, I’m all for outing the guy. But 5 years? Seems a bit extreme.
I was going to post on the forum about how I became the highest scoring Union fighter pilot attached to the Army of the Potomac during the Antietam Campaign but I think I'll leave that for another day.
Catching these guys is like shooting fish in a barrel. His picture shows him wearing a beret with the two stars of a Major General. The problem is that he is wearing a 5th Special Forces Group flash. That particular flash was only worn during the Vietnam era, the 5th Group flash no longer has the pattern of the South Vietnamese flag (yellow and red stripes). Second problem is that the highest ranking individual in a Special Forces Group is a Colonel. General Officers can’t wear a 5th Group Flash.
These poseurs don’t know these little nuances, so they are easy to spot and expose.
Worse in my mind is the fact that most of these “heroes” of their own making are obviously dorks of the first magnitude. Not only have they stolen valor, but also they put forth a bad image of the service they are alleging to have served with.
5 years isn’t near enough!
Hat tip to centurion316 for the straight poop on the 5SFG flash.
LOL!!! (Now cleaning Diet Coke from computer screen!!)
For giving a slap in the face to every veteran? I’d give him life at hard labor.
Hope they assign him to a minimum security facility, on a military base. Then he can enjoy doing all the GI grunt work, like KP and policing the area.
If he does a reallllllly gooooood job, they may submit him for OTS.
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