This has been sort of an on-going report of some of the people who are cheating and defrauding veterans out of their medals, awards, citations etc. Here is a letter from ZACK MILLER (2000-1991):

“I recently read an article in KTB #114 (page 30) titled ‘ANOTHER FRAUD DONE TO VETS?’ which was in reference to a Mr. Stephen Pyne being arrested & charged with the theft of medals/decorations from several war veterans. I have been following this case rather closely myself, being a resident of the area where this happened, and I am an avid collector of WW II German military decorations & dress daggers for the past 11 years, with an interest in the collecting field.

I am enclosing with this letter, all updated information on this case. As you will read, Mr. Pyne will have final sentencing on 22 January in Carroll County and on 2 February, in Anne Arundel County, both in Maryland. Still pending are other charges from other jurisdictions and/or Federal agencies. As this information comes available, I will forward it to you.

In closing, I have to say that in the near 15 years I have been in the Law Enforcement field, I have seen many things unimaginable to most people. Even after this amount of time I see an incident which I think can’t be topped - then I see something like this, which I personally feel is an especially ugly event - it makes me sick to think of it. What these veterans went through to be awarded the decorations they earned, and to be relieved of them in this way by this man is so outrageous I can’t even find the words to express it.

A case like this reminds me of a time I was with my Field Training Supervisor when I started in Law Enforcement in 1981. He once told me: ‘Son, you’re going to find out as you go along and investigate crimes and interview suspects that greed has no boundaries!’

ZACK included some articles from the Baltimore SUN as follows:

1 November, 1995 it was reported that Pyne was arrested and charged with stealing medals from three people in Anne Arundel County, and from five people in Carroll County. Police seized TWO carloads of medals, ribbons, epaulets & swords from Pyne’s home. If convicted, Pyne could receive up to 60 years in prison.

12 Nov., 1995 it was reported that Pyne had pled GUILTY and made a plea agreement with Carroll County Court and will serve six years in prison with five additional years probation after his release.

12 Dec., 1995 it was reported that Pyne pled GUILTY and made a plea agreement with the Anne Arrundel Court and will serve four years in prison with 4 and 1/2 years probation after his release. One of the victims, Admiral Rindskopf, attended the hearing and said that he thought the penalties were appropriate.

Even though these plea agreements have been made and apparently accepted by both Pyne and the county courts in question, there still must be a formal court hearing to make it official.

Who is next? Well, quite a few local California jurisdictions as well as Federal agencies are looking hard for Tom Shutt, former proprietor of the now-defunct KING’S CROWN GALLERY that was first in Kansas City then in Tustin, California.

And what about a guy in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin who sells beer steins, supposedly formerly owned by famous German military veterans? Same scam - different location?