United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

MAN SENTENCED TO NEARLY THREE YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS AND FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT RECEIVING MILITARY MEDALS

AMARILLO, Texas — Richard David McClanahan, 29, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson to a total of 34 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. McClanahan pled guilty in August to one count of making false statements and one count of making false claims about receipt of military medals.

Judge Robinson filed notice this week that the Court was considering the imposition of an upward departure in the sentencing because the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offense. Her order further stated that the sentence imposed needed to reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense, afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct and protect the public from further crimes of the defendant. After Judge Robinson sentenced McClanahan to a term of imprisonment above the sentencing guidelines, she remanded him into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to documents filed in Court, Richard David McClanahan graduated from Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch High School in 1997. On January 25, 1999, he joined the Navy and separated from service on May 31, 2001. He then joined the Army as a sergeant on June 1, 2001. His military evaluation, dated March 2005, found that he continually lied about civilian life, military career, education and experiences; that he lacked all seven of the Army values and attributes; that he displayed poor judgment by falsifying military documents; that he forged the Battalion Physician Assistant’s signature on his fitness test card after falsifying his score; that he lied about his participation in Operation Enduring Freedom; that he lied to his senior NCO’s, officers and commanders about his military service, combat injuries, decorations, and awards; and that he was incompetent and disregarded soldiers’ medical issues by writing and signing unauthorized medical profiles.

On April 11, 2005, McClanahan was found guilty by the Department of the Army of wearing unauthorized awards and badges. His rank was reduced and he was sentenced to 100 days confinement. On July 5, 2005, McClanahan was again charged by the Department of the Army withmaking a false official statement for lying about: earning a bachelor’s degree; scoring 300 points on the Army physical fitness test; earning the USMC sergeant leadership course certificate; earning the U.S. Army Special Forces qualification course certificate; earning a U.S. Army diploma for special operations combat medic course; earning the basic parachutist badge; earning the expert field medical badge; earning the U.S. Navy special warfare center (Navy Seal) certificate; and, graduating from the USMC amphibious reconnaissance school. On July 25, 2005, McClanahan’s request for discharge in lieu of trial by court martial was approved and he was discharged “under other than honorable conditions.”

After his discharge, McClanahan returned to the Amarillo area. He divorced his first wife in September, and three months later, in December 2006, he married Robin McClanahan. Prior to their marriage, in May 2006, McClanahan showed Robin McClanahan a letter from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recommending David McClanahan for the Congressional Medal of Honor. In March 2007, David McClanahan showed Robin McClanahan another Congressional Medal of Honor nomination letter, this one purportedly from President George W. Bush.

The McClanahan’s became acquainted with one of the co-chairs of the Amarillo Armed Forces Day banquet. McClanahan began speaking at local schools and on radio programs and was being considered to be the keynote speaker at the Armed Forces Day banquet in March 2007 that was sponsored by the organization “America Supports You.” During his speaking engagements, McClanahan represented that he had received numerous military awards and decorations, and that he was nominated to receive the Congressional Medal Honor.

McClanahan had not received those medals and was not nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor. McClanahan falsely represented himself verbally and in writing to have been awarded certain decorations or medals, and he knew the representations were false when he made them. During the course of his misrepresentations, McClanahan received $9,500 in scholarship funds from Boys Ranch and $2,000 in donations from the “America Supports You” organization.

On March 28, 2007, McClanahan sent a letter to the John Chandler Ford car dealership in Amarillo, Texas, to convince the dealership to “donate” a vehicle to him because he had been nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor. The dealership declined to donate a vehicle but agreed to assist him with financing. On April 10, 2007, McClanahan submitted a financial statement to Amarillo National Bank that detailed his income and assets. A review of the financial statement showed that McClanahan had grossly inflated his income. He admitted that he knew at the time he completed the financial statement that it was false and he did it to influence the financial institution to approve his loan.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy L. Drake of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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