A Massachusetts man was arrested this week and accused of impersonating an Army veteran for more than three decades, receiving tens of thousands of dollars in VA medical care and committing crimes in the soldier’s name.
James D. Sommers was arrested on Thursday, March 5 at a transitional housing space for veterans, where he had been living while pretending to be an Army veteran. He was charged with one count of making false statements, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, but the extent of his alleged actions span 32 years.
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According to the allegations against him, Sommers had been impersonating an Army veteran since 1994, using his identity to collect Social Security benefits and receive medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to living in a transitional facility for veterans at the time of his arrest, Sommers had used the veteran’s identity as recently as Feb. 20 to receive care at the VA Medical Center in Northampton, Mass. Over the course of the 32-year-long scheme, Sommers allegedly collected nearly $30,000 in VA care and medication at multiple facilities, and several thousands of dollars from Social Security.
Court documents outlining the full extent of the charges were not immediately available. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the VA’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
The Department of Justice did not identify who Sommers was allegedly impersonating by name, but did say the man served in the U.S. Army honorably between 1979-1982. It’s also unclear if Sommers knew the person he is accused of impersonating, or where in the United States the victim is.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in addition to using the veteran’s identity to collect benefits, Sommers had used his name to commit multiple crimes, with several convictions between 1994-2011 in New York state. Those convictions include forgery, grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, sale of controlled substances and intent to obtain transportation without paying, among others. According to the announcement of his arrest, Sommers’ age is unknown.
If convicted, Sommers faces up to five years in prison as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
