Phony Marine jailed in Greenwood

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - An Indianapolis man was wearing a look alike military uniform in hopes of scamming kind hearted Hoosiers, Johnson County deputies say.

James P. Schuder is alleged to have used his presence in a military uniform to solicit donations. Deputies say he asked Hoosiers for different amounts, telling them he needed gas money to get home to Bloomington even though he lives in Indianapolis.

The arresting deputy reported Schuder even claimed to be a member of the Marine Corps' 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Recon and a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The deputy called Camp Pendleton in California where Marine Corps administrators told him there isn't a 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Recon unit nor was Schuder ever a Marine.

On Thursday, The Johnson County Prosecutor plans to file deception and panhandling charges against Schuder.

During a jailhouse interview, 24 Hour News 8's Jay Hermacinski asked Schuder if he thought he was deceiving people by wearing a camoflague uniform.

"No, I don't believe so. I believe if you see there are no patches on there, what are you deceiving? I don't have a unit patch, I don't have a name tag, I don't have anything" said Schuder.

Since this story broke, the Johnson County Prosecutor says a number of people have called claiming they were scammed by Schuder.

Linnea Nelson of greenwood says her husband gave Schuder a lift last week. She says Schuder told her husband he had just returned from Afghanistan and needed some money to get to the airport. She says the story turned out to be lie. Nelson says her husband bought Schuder lunch and gave him $100.

"The fact that he would exploit people and play on their sympathies is just unconscionable" said Nelson.
Schuder was arrested on charges of forgery, panhandling and giving false information or reports.
A background check shows Schuder was accused of pulling a similar scam in the Knoxville Tennessee area last year.