PHOENIX — A man has been accused of pretending to be a highly decorated Marine by wearing a uniform with ribbons representing prestigious military honors, authorities said Thursday.
John William Rodriguez, 31, was arrested Wednesday and faces 13 charges of felony fraud schemes, state public safety officials said. He was being held at the Maricopa County jail, and it was not immediately known whether he had an attorney.
Rodriguez also may face a federal charge of violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which makes it a misdemeanor to lie about getting a military decoration. If convicted on the federal charge, he faces up to a year in prison and $200,000 in fines.
DPS Detective Roger Wilson said it was unclear why Rodriguez was posing as a war hero, but that he got discounts on airline tickets, didn't have to change the registration on his car from California to Arizona and made friends by introducing himself as a Marine.
Wilson said Rodriguez, who is unemployed, had been living in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale, at the home of a man he met on a flight to Phoenix, without paying for his stay. Rodriguez is originally from California but has been living in the Phoenix area for the past two years.
He also said Rodriguez cited an upcoming deployment to Iraq to get a court hearing on a drunken-driving charge postponed.
