UPDATE 9/26/11 @ 4 p.m.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A West Virginia man who posed as an Army general to try to land a six-figure construction management job has been sentenced in Ohio to more than two years in prison.
A federal judge in Cleveland sentenced 57-year-old Randall Keyser, of Barboursville, on Monday on his guilty plea to wire and mail fraud.
The judge says Keyser must get mental-health treatment after his release. His attorney said in a sentencing memo that Keyser is on medication for chronic depression.
Prosecutors say Keyser applied for a job pretending to be a major general with references including the Army chief of staff. The Akron-based company became suspicious and contacted the FBI.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press show Keyser was hired under false pretenses in at least four states.
Randall Keyser, 57, of Barboursville, faces sentencing Sept. 26 in Cleveland federal court on his guilty plea to wire and mail fraud.
In a sentencing memo filed Friday, his attorney says construction company losses may have been inflated because the FBI was tipped to the case and orchestrated negotiations on his pay, benefits and moving expenses, accepting Keyser's demands.
A separate memo says Keyser is on medication for chronic depression.
Prosecutors say Keyser applied for a job pretending to be a major general with references including the Army chief of staff. The Akron-based company became suspicious and contacted the FBI.
Fifty-six-year-old Randall Keyser of Barboursville, W.Va., pleaded guilty Monday in Cleveland federal court. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 26.
Prosecutors say Keyser applied for a job pretending to be a major general with references including the Army chief of staff, vice chief of staff and Army undersecretary.
The Akron-based company became suspicious and contacted the FBI.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press show Keyser was hired under false pretenses in at least four states.
Defense attorney George Pappas declined comment after the plea.
The prosecution and defense jointly asked a federal judge to delay Thursday's court hearing to allow plea-bargain talks to continue in the case of 56-year-old Randall Keyser of Barboursville, W.Va.
Judge Donald Nugent agreed Wednesday and postponed a change of plea hearing until July 18.
Keyser has been indicted on 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud.
Defense attorney George Pappas and the U.S. attorney's office in Cleveland declined comment on the talks.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press show Keyser was hired under false pretenses in at least four states.
The government announced the federal indictment against 56-year-old Randall Keyser of Barboursville, W.Va., on Thursday.
Investigators say Keyser defrauded an Akron development company and one of its subsidiaries, trying to get hired as director of construction by saying he was commanding officer of the Department of Defense's Joint Construction Command. They say he posed as other high-ranking military officers to give himself recommendations via telephone.
Court records show Keyser served one or two years in the Army and was discharged as a private.
He is being held without bond. Messages left with his attorney weren't immediately returned after business hours Friday.
The court records obtained by The Associated Press show Randall Thomas Keyser has used numerous aliases and was hired under false pretenses in Alaska, Kentucky and Washington state.
The FBI confirmed Wednesday that the individual mentioned in the court records is the same man charged in Akron, Ohio, with wire fraud for allegedly posing as a major general.
Keyser, of Barboursville, W.Va., agreed Tuesday to waive a hearing and was held without bond. Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday for his attorney.
Special Agent Steven Jackson, of the FBI, tells WSAZ.com Randall Keyser, 56, of Barboursville, was arrested Thursday.
Special Agent Jackson says Keyser responded to an online job posting with an Akron area construction development company in March.
In Keyser's response, he posed himself as Major General R. Thomas Keyser with the United States Army. He also said he was a commanding officer of the Department of Defense's Joint Construction Command, according to Special Agent Jackson.
Keyser also said he answered directly to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in his present command.
According to Special Agent Jackson, Keyser sent the company a seven-page resume with what appeared to be the seal of the United States Department of Defense. The resume further outlined many prior commands and tours of duty held by Keyser.
It also included overseas deployments in the first and second Gulf Wars as well as Afghanistan.
The company requested an interview with Keyser and thanked him for his service to the country.
Keyser was paid around $200.00 as reimbursement for his overnight meals and lodging for the interview, according to Special Agent Jackson. If Keyser would have been hired his salary would have been $175,000.00, plus benefits.
Special Agent Jackson also tells WSAZ.com a federal investigation revealed there is no record of Randall Thomas Keyser or anyone using the multiple social security numbers associated with his name in the U.S. Army -- current or retired.
Keyser is being held by the FBI and members of the Akron Police Department.
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