http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...a174706D97.DTL
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Friday, July 7, 2006 (AP)
Mont. 'Marine' Gets a Lesson in Honesty
By The Associated Press
(07-07) 17:47 PDT Missoula, Mont. (AP) --
A man who lied to his probation officer about having served in the
military was ordered to stand outside the courthouse wearing a sandwich
board that says: "I am a liar. I am not a Marine."
William C. Horvath, 35, of Whitefish, pleaded guilty to making false
statements, a felony.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy sentenced him Thursday to four months of
house arrest and four years of probation. He also ordered him to stand
outside the courthouse for 50 hours wearing the sandwich board with the
message.
On the back, it must read: "I have never served my country. I have
dishonored veterans of all wars."
Molloy, a veteran himself, also ordered Horvath to write letters of
apology to newspapers, the U.S. Marine Corps, Veterans of Foreign Wars and
the American Legion in Kalispell. The judge said Horvath must admit in the
letters that he lied repeatedly about serving and being wounded.
According to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office, Horvath
claimed during an interview with a probation officer on Aug. 9, 2001, that
he had served in the Marine Corps. The officer was gathering information
on Horvath on a prior charge of being a fugitive in possession of firearms
or ammunition.
The probation officer then attempted to verify Horvath's military service,
but was told by the Marine Corps that there was no record of Horvath ever
having served.
Horvath then presented the probation officer with evidence of his time in
the military, including photographs and decorations. However, Marine Corps
representatives told the probation officer that the evidence contained a
variety of inconsistencies.
One of the problems: He was wearing his uniform improperly.
Copyright 2006 AP
No Sense of Shame
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