W.Va. man charged with faking Army record - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

W.Va. man charged with faking Army record

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A Martinsburg man who never served in the military has been charged with faking an Army service record and fraudulently collecting more than $97,000 in benefits.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said Ronald Lamont Clements, 44, even claimed to have earned a Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge for service from September 1985 until January 1992.

A 10-count indictment issued by a grand jury in Martinsburg last week charges him with mail fraud, theft of government funds, falsifying military discharge certificates and false claims of medals and decorations.

Prosecutors say Clements defrauded the Department of Veterans Affairs of more than $20,000 in one instance and more than $77,000 in another between July 2007 and January 2012.

Clements doesn't have a telephone listing. It was unclear Monday whether he has an attorney.