Fla. man pleads guilty to falsely claiming medals

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida veteran has pleaded guilty to falsely claiming four Purple Hearts, when he had none.

Charles T. White of St. Augustine pleaded guilty Friday in Jacksonville federal court. Defense attorney Charles Truncale says White “recognizes he was wrong.“

White served in the Navy and the Marine Corps. But prosecutors said he improperly wore a Purple Heart medal on several occasions in the past year and falsely told a military newspaper that he had been awarded the medal four times.

The Purple Heart is given to members of the military who are wounded or killed in action.

White now faces up to two years in prison and a $200,000 fine. Truncale says White is likely to receive probation.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.