[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Did he lie on his application for the LE job?

Is that a crime?

TR

Yup,, It is in KIOWA, Co..

KIOWA, Colo. - An Elizabeth man who lied about being once serving as a sniper with the U.S. Army Special Forces, pleaded guilty this week to a charge of fraud to effect sales, a misdemeanor.

John Frederick Kuhl, 51, ran a business called Colorado Firearms Training School based out of Elizabeth, according to the 18th District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors say in 2010, Kuhl met Elbert County Sheriff Shayne Heap at a 4H meeting and told him that he had graduated from the U.S. Army Sniper School and served with Special Forces. He also mentioned that he was an active ICE/Immigration federal agent who would like to retire and work for the Elbert County Sheriff's Office's jail.

Kuhl solicited work from the ECSO and offered to teach courses to Elbert County communities, including firearms training for kids and self-defense courses.

Prosecutors said he repeatedly directed people to his website, which stated his military credentials and background.

In 2014, Sheriff Heap was contacted by the owner of a website called "Professional Soldiers" who provided records from the National Archives and Records Administration. The records showed that despite the defendant's claims of over 30 years of service, he had actually served 13 months in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper from June 28, 1983 to July 12, 1984. He was discharged as a Private Second Class with minor formal training in firearms.

ECSO deputies conducted an investigation and filed charges against Kuhl after it was clear the defendant had falsified his military credentials in order to gain access to government contracts, according to prosecutors.