Kevin Quinn
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HOUSTON (KTRK) -- He looks like a soldier. He says he's a soldier. But he's not a soldier. And now he is facing charges for lying about his resume. When we started asking questions, so did the FBI.
The man, who the FBI says is nothing but a fraud, even showed up in a military uniform at Houston Mayor Annise Parker's inauguration. The problem is that he didn't earn any of the medals he was wearing.
Michael Patrick McManus was arrested Friday night after a federal judge signed a warrant for his arrest. The FBI says he was arrested without incident.
A blog reads like an old time wanted poster: Wanted for stolen valor. Do you know this man? Reward.
"Just looking at the guy, the appearance is that he was a truly decorated serviceman," said a man who took the photos of McManus.
The picture of McManus was taken at Mayor Parker's victory party in December. The man who shot it is retired military. He sent six pictures to us though he didn't want to be identified. He spoke with us by phone about why he was so suspicious seeing all the awards on this man's uniform.
That was kind of my initial indication that you know what, something here doesn't add up. It doesn't look right," he said.
The medals included two distinguished service crosses, the second-highest award for valor given by the Army. Even a purple heart.
"The parachute badge. That's the basic parachute badge," said a military expert.
What's more experts say around his neck appears to indicate he is the Commander of the British Empire.
"He's got so many, if you take out the list of decorations, it looks like he just went and collected every one and slapped them on his chest," John Bradley said.
Bradley is a retired U.S. Army Officer, a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point and he teaches courses in military history at the University of Houston-Downtown and Rice University. We asked him to look at the pictures for us.
