ELKTON, Fla. – After trying to pass himself off as a decorated retired admiral, a St. Johns County man is facing criminal charges.
Lloyd Mitchell, 65, not only pretended he had reached the highest rank in the Navy, but claimed to have been awarded a Purple Heart and other honors for his service to our country, investigators said.
Detectives contacted the NCIS at Mayport and learned not only did Mitchell not serve in the Navy, there was no record of him in any military branch.
Detectives began their investigation early last month when they received an anonymous tip that said Mitchell was presenting himself as a retired admiral.
They said Mitchell even made an hour-long presentation at the Coquina Crossing's Veteran's Day celebration about his service during the post 9/11 days.
In January, Mitchell submitted a military discharge form to obtain "veteran" status on his driver license, which also listed Mitchell as the recipient of the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Silver Star with Clusters, and the Vietnam Medal of Honor.
"Apparently he had counterfeited his DD 214 form. If you are from the military it is the discharge paperwork. He took that to the tax collector's office and when we issued his driver's licenses it had that V placed on his license for any preferential treatment that may have meant for him," Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said.
After a function at the VFW, people contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office saying something didn't seem right.
"That is a fraudulent issue on the local level. What the federal government may or may not do in this case, at this juncture, we're not sure," Mulligan said.
Tom Folger, stationed at NAS Jacksonville, has served nearly two decades in the United States Navy including during Operation Iraqi Freedom and he was not happy to hear about this.
"We're protecting the country for this person, it's disheartful, I don't know how he got ahold of those things and tried to manipulate it towards his benefit but it hurts me. Someone who's done almost 20 years," Folger said.
Mitchell posted $3,000 bond and was released within hours of his arrest.