Palm Springs man accused of wearing military medals he did not earn

A Palm Springs man who allegedly wore a Marine uniform with medals to his high school reunion, even though he never served in the military, is expected to surrender tomorrow, a U.S. Attorney said.

Steven Burton, 39, of Palm Springs, allegedly wore military uniforms and various medals on several occasions, said Thom Mrozek of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The FBI began investigating Burton when a Navy commander reported she had seen Burton wearing a Marine Corps uniform decorated with Navy Cross, Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals at her high school reunion, even though he had never been in the military, Mrozek said.

The commander took a photograph of Burton that night, and the FBI later found Internet postings Burton made in which he wrote that he was a Marine and had received many commendations and awards, according to Mrozek.

The FBI also found an online photograph Burton had posted of himself standing on a beach at Coronado Island wearing the dress uniform of the Marine Corps and several medals, Mrozek said.

The Navy Cross is the highest medal that can be awarded by the U.S. Department of the Navy, and is the second highest award given for valor, second only to the Medal of Honor, Mrozek said. It is generally awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life, beyond the call of duty, performed in combat with an enemy force, he said.

The Bronze star is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service, and the Purple Heart is awarded for being wounded or killed in action against an enemy of the United States, Mrozek said.

Burton was charged Friday with the unauthorized wearing of military medals, a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison, Mrozek said.

Burton is to turn himself in to the United States District Court in Riverside at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Tags: FBI, Palm Springs, SWRNN, Thom Mrozek, U.S. Attorney's office

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Courts, Crime, Local News, News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.