Lee homeless man accused of falsely claiming veteran status

Published: Updated:

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. – A homeless man who allegedly claimed to be a U.S. military veteran has been arrested and is facing fraud charges, deputies said.

Jeffery Allen Prince, 57, was seen begging for money in a full army combat uniform at the Weavers Corner Shopping Center on Tuesday, according to an incident report. The uniform he wore had the name “Parsons” on it, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Prince told a deputy he served in the Army and the Marine Corps, but veterans affairs officials confirmed that to be untrue.

He was booked into jail Tuesday and has a long list of arrests in Lee County dating back to 2007.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.