A couple once suspected of possible ties to the KGB have been convicted of living for decades under the identities of two dead babies — even while one had security clearance at the Defense Department.
Coast Guard veteran Walter Primose and his wife, Gwynn Morrison, both in their 60s, were convicted in Hawaii on Monday of conspiracy, passport fraud and identity theft.
During their trial, the judge referred to them by their chosen — or stolen — identities, Bobby Edward Fort and Julie Lyn Montague, which were actually the names of babies who died in Texas while the couple was still living there.
Primose used his fake identity to join the Coast Guard — even though it made him 12 years younger than he actually was, prosecutors said.
He also used it to obtain a driver’s license and passport — and even qualifications for the Department of Defense, where he had a secret security clearance while working as a defense contractor, the hearing was told.
A former classmate at their Texas high school said the couple wanted to change their name to escape heavy debt.
Walter Primose and Gwynn Morrison were convicted of conspiracy, passport fraud and identity theft. AP The couple went by Bobby Edward Fort and Julie Lyn Montague for many years.AP
They have lost their home in Texas to foreclosure, the State Department confirmed.
Their case gained attention last year when prosecutors showed the couple wearing what appeared to be authentic KGB uniforms.
Assistant US Attorney Thomas Muehleck claimed at the time that Morrison had “close associates” who lived in Romania when it was still a Soviet bloc country.
They also claim the couple may have other aliases.
Their case gained attention last year when prosecutors discovered they were wearing what appeared to be authentic KGB uniforms. AP prosecutors then backed away from the spying angle after the couple’s lawyers said they wore the jackets for fun.. AP
However, prosecutors later backed away from the spy angle after the couple’s lawyers insisted they were wearing the jackets for fun.
When they were sentenced in March, they faced a maximum of 10 years in prison on charges of making false statements in passport applications and use.
They face up to five years for the conspiracy charge and a mandatory two-year consecutive term for aggravated identity theft.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
