NEWS

Rochester man sentenced for faking military IDs

Staff report

A federal judge has sentenced a Rochester man to three months in prison after his conviction for producing and using counterfeit military ID cards and making false statements to federal agents.

U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci also ordered Mark Alan Kelly, 55, to perform 300 hours of community service at the Rochester Veterans Outreach Center and to purchase 500 American flags to be placed on veterans’ graves at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Kelly’s prison term is to be followed by three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney William Hochul Jr.’s office.

Prosecutors said Kelly repeatedly lied about being a U.S. Navy officer and often wore Naval uniforms, ribbons and medals, including to a funeral where he presented an American flag to the parents of a Marine killed in Afghanistan in August 2014.

Geraci also ordered Kelly to write a letter of apology to the parents.

Kelly lied to a landlord that he was on active duty and received a military discount on his rent, as well as other financial benefits, Hochul’s office said.

When Kelly’s landlord and a friend confronted him with suspicions in the presence of a Rochester police officer, Kelly presented a forged military ID, according to Hochul’s office. The landlord brought the matter to the attention of naval investigators, and Kelly repeatedly lied about his Navy background during interviews with agents, prosecutors said.

Investigators recovered several false military ID cards from Kelly’s job.