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Wednesday, May 06, 2009 8:31 AM Man sentenced for stealing VA benefits By Gina Childress | Times Staff Writer A Spring Hope man was sentenced in federal court Monday in Raleigh for theft of government property in excess of $1,000. According to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, Donald Reams, 77, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. He was given credit for 7 1/2 months of prison time and has to serve the remainder 2 1/2 months on home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount $65,956. The release said that Reams, who served in the U.S. Air Force between April 1951 and May 1952, was under the impression that his original Defense Department Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty had been destroyed in a fire. In an effort to obtain disability benefits, Reams filled out fraudulent forms and altered documents in order to obtain Veteran Administration benefits and services by stating on his Defense Department certificate of release or discharge from active duty that he had been awarded the Purple Heart, a Korean Service Medal, an Air Force Overseas Ribbon and a Good Conduct Medal. On Oct. 6, 2004, Dec. 9, 2004, and April 8, 2005, Reams sent the VA documentation that he had suffered service-connected injuries during his active military duty. As a result of this information Reams was approved June 10, 2005, for disability benefits which were retroactive to Nov. 1, 2004, based on the false documentation. Military investigators discovered the original Defense Department certificate of release or discharge from active duty, compared it to the falsified documentation and discovered that Reams had not received any of the awards that he had claimed and that the injuries or illnesses he requested treatment for were not active duty related. "It is always a difficult decision to prosecute a former member of our armed services," said U.S. States Attorney George E.B. Holding. "Here, however, the prosecution was necessary to protect the integrity and meaning of military awards and commendations for those who have truly earned them." gina@wilsontimes.com | 265-7821 |
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