Weatherford (WBAP/KLIF News) – A man from Granbury, who faked being a combat wounded Navy SEAL, is headed to prison. Carlos Luna-Gonzalez is sentenced to more than four years behind bars for theft, failure to appear and bail jumping.
The Parker County DA’s office released audio from the night in November 2014, when a sting operation was launched to catch Gonzalez in the act. He thought he was being honored by a local gun shop, and was being given a rifle in recognition of his service.
But when he signed the federal papers to take possession of the rifle, that’s when Texas Ranger Tony Bradford stepped in and made the arrest.
“You ain’t a Navy SEAL, are you?” asked Bradford.
“Yes, sir.”
Bradford replied, “Well, I got paperwork here that says you’re not.”
Later in the recording, a person working in conjunction with law enforcement is heard berating Gonzalez for lying.
“We have paperwork saying you’re not a SEAL, you aren’t injured, you’re not a Purple Heart recipient. And you told me this, and I got you a job based on your being a SEAL, you being wounded,Purple Heart recipient? Those are lies.”
Gonzalez did actually serve for about a year and a half as an enlisted sailor, and received a general under honorable conditions discharge.
Gonzalez was charged in November of 2014 with theft by deception, being in possession of fake military documents, and falsifying government paperwork. He later missed a court date and jumped bail by running off to Puerto Rico.
This week, he pleaded guilty to the theft charge, and was sentenced to 16 months behind bars. He was given another three years for jumping bail and failure to appear.
CORRECTION: WBAP/KLIF News was given incorrect information on a person’s identity in this story. The person’s name has been removed and replaced in the above story.
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