United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York

06/27/2024 | Press release | Archived content

Canadian Man Sentenced for Stolen Valor and Unlawfully Forging Military Discharge Paperwork

Press Release

Canadian Man Sentenced for Stolen Valor and Unlawfully Forging Military Discharge Paperwork

Thursday, June 27, 2024
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York
Randall J. Montour Spent Years Pretending to be a Purple Heart Recipient

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK - Randall J. Montour, age 45, a resident of Cornwall, Ontario, was sentenced today to two years of probation for violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 and for falsifying his military discharge certificate. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea on February 29, 2024, Montour admitted that he falsely altered his Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Form DD-214, to reflect he received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and that he earned numerous decorations, medals, badges, citations or campaign ribbons, including the Purple Heart. Military records show, however, that Montour received a bad conduct discharge from the Air Force in 2001 and was only awarded the Air Force Training Ribbon during his time in service. He is not a Purple Heart recipient. Montour also admitted that he used his altered Form DD-214 to purchase Purple Heart Recipient license plates from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, which he then affixed to his vehicle.

Montour also appeared at veterans' events wearing an Air Force uniform belonging to a senior non-commissioned officer, a rank the defendant did not achieve in the Air Force, and displaying a ribbon stack depicting many decorations, medals, badges, citations or campaign ribbons that he did not earn, including the Purple Heart.

United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro also sentenced Montour to 200 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.

The United States Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas G. Collyer prosecuted the case.

Updated July 7, 2024