"I see so many phonies these days that sometimes I doubt that I was ever a SEAL!" - Captain Larry Bailey, USN (Ret.).
Phony admiral Ralph Crowder JPEG image 200x378 pixels.
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Posted on 07/13/2002 3:05:36 AM PDT by corsair
Posted on Fri, Jul. 12, 2002
Man charged with impersonating NSA official By MATT CAMPBELL The Kansas City Star
An Independence man -- already accused of impersonating a naval officer and a Medal of Honor recipient -- on Thursday faced a more serious charge of impersonating a National Security Agency official.
A felony count of possessing a fraudulent National Security Agency identification card was added to two misdemeanor charges pending in federal court against Ralph Ervin Crowder.
Crowder wore an orange jail outfit Thursday when making his initial appearance before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Maughmer in Kansas City. Crowder said nothing about the charges against him during the brief hearing.
Crowder, 46, was held in custody pending a detention hearing today in U.S. District Court. Crowder's attorney, Andrew S. Talge, declined to comment on behalf of his client.
With the addition of the felony count, Crowder faces a maximum penalty of 41/2 years in prison and a $355,000 fine if convicted.
According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Donald J. Albracht:
Crowder had himself photographed while wearing the summer white uniform of a U.S. Navy admiral and with a Medal of Honor pinned to his chest. But Crowder, who used the alias Roy A. Toups, never served in the Navy. Crowder told the FBI that he bought the uniform and medal at a surplus shop.
The affidavit that is part of the government's criminal complaint said Crowder also identified himself to others as a former Navy SEAL in Vietnam and an employee of the National Security Agency.
When FBI agents confronted Crowder to ask about the naval uniform and medal, he produced a "United States of America Special Identification indicating his affiliation with the NSA," the affidavit said. Agents immediately recognized the document as fraudulent and took Crowder to FBI headquarters in Kansas City for questioning, it said.
Under U.S. Code, posing as an officer of the National Security Agency is an even greater offense than falsely wearing a Medal of Honor.
To reach Matt Campbell, call (816) 234-4905 or send e-mail to mcampbell@kcstar.com.
"I see so many phonies these days that sometimes I doubt that I was ever a SEAL!" - Captain Larry Bailey, USN (Ret.).
Phony admiral Ralph Crowder JPEG image 200x378 pixels.)
He certainly didn't believe in holding back.
Unless of course you want to pick up girls, then you can say "I'm with the CIA"
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