MICHAEL C. BRAMLETT
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

Michael Paul Bramlett, 34, was sentenced Tuesday in Springfield on one count of wearing a U.S. Marine Corps uniform without authorization and another for illegally wearing medals, badges and ribbons of the armed forces.

Bramlett, who in the past has claimed to be an attorney, psychologist and London-trained chef, served part of a five-year state sentence for selling illegal prescription drugs to an undercover officer in Webster County in 2003.

He had been free on parole since October but will now head to federal prison after receiving a six-month sentence on each count — the statutory maximum — to be served concurrently.

"This imposter received the maximum penalty for his dishonorable conduct," said a press release issued by Bradley Schlozman, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "Such disrespect for the brave men and women serving in our nation's armed forces won't be tolerated."

Bramlett pleaded guilty to the charges Dec. 22. Although he served in the Navy for three months in 1989, he never served in the Marines as he claimed while attending several Marine Corps League functions in December 2005.

After applying to become a member of the organization for former Marines, Bramlett attended several of the group's functions. He claimed to have been wounded by an IED while serving in Iraq and arrived at the League's annual dinner dressed as a Marine captain with service ribbons that included a Silver Star, Navy Cross and Purple Heart.

League members were immediately suspicious, Commandant Frank Atkinson said in a past interview with the News-Leader.

"I questioned it, because he didn't have any combat action ribbons," Atkinson said after charges were filed in October. "It just didn't jibe, so everyone started asking questions."

When Bramlett attended a funeral service a few days later wearing his uniform and sword, League members had all the proof they needed — and documented the deception in photographs.

"He was carrying his sword on his right hip," Atkinson said. "Well, the sword's carried on the left, so that's kind of a dead giveaway."

Life of lies

Bramlett, who is listed in state prison records with his last name spelled "Bramlet" and at times used the alias Michael Ross, has amassed a collection of false identities since moving to the Ozarks from Mississippi about 10 years ago.

His Marine disguise dates to before his relocation — a 1997 photo on the Mississippi State University Web site pictures Bramlett in uniform advertising a Toys for Tots drive. The cutline identifies him as a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve.

By November 1998 Bramlett was living in Springfield, where he was charged with four counts of false impersonation, a misdemeanor, for claiming to be a licensed attorney.

A review of law enforcement records shows other charges: a 2001 plea of guilty to driving while intoxicated and the 2003 sentence for selling Oxycontin to an undercover cop in Marshfield.

An investigation in Republic in December revealed another occupation Bramlett claimed — doctor of psychology. No charges were filed in the case, but police records show Bramlett admitted to telling a woman he worked at Cox hospital as a psychologist. Police seized a business card Bramlett allegedly possessed identifying him as a doctor and member of the "American Physical Society."

In 2001, Bramlett was mentioned in a News-Leader story about the opening of the Highlander steakhouse on South Glenstone Avenue. In the article, restaurant owner Bill Murdock described his young chef, Michael Bramlett, as being "trained at the Cordon Bleu in London and ... apprenticed to a chef in Paris."

Emily Ross said that was one of the more common — and false — qualifications her ex-husband claimed.

"He's told everybody that, and it's complete crap," said Ross, who divorced Bramlett in February after a year and a half of marriage. "He can't cook anything."

When they met in the spring of 2005, Bramlett told her he worked at Baker Observatory near Marshfield, Ross said. He spun the familiar yarn about being a wounded Iraq war veteran.

"He lied to everybody in my family," said Ross, who never met any of Bramlett's relatives. "He told me they were Jewish and wouldn't like me because I wasn't."

Ross said the stories grew more complex and outlandish. Even when caught in a lie, Bramlett attempted to spin another.

"He started coming up with these stories about how he had something that the government wanted and they were trying to get him to turn it over — real 'Days of Our Lives' kind of stuff," she said.

She said she's accepted that she may never know the truth, but warned others of falling for a similar set-up.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Springfield man accused of illegally wearing a U.S. Marine Corps uniform and medals conducted himself in an "unconscionable" manner, a federal prosecutor said.

Michael Paul Bramlett, 34, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Friday. He was indicted June 23 on two misdemeanor counts and faces up to one year in prison without parole and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.

"Particularly at a time when America's brave men and women in uniform are putting their very lives on the line in defense of freedom and democracy overseas ... (Bramlett's) actions, which have brought dishonor to himself, are an affront to the courageous soldiers who don the uniform every day," U.S. Attorney Bradley Schlozman said in a statement.

Bramlett served in the Navy for three months in 1989 but never served in the Marines.

But prosecutors allege he appeared publicly last December wearing a Marine Corps uniform as well as decorations, medals, badges and ribbons of the armed forces without authorization.

Frank Atkinson, who served in the Navy and was attached to a Marine unit during Vietnam, said Bramlett wore the uniform and decorations at several Marine Corps League events during that time.

"Originally he came in to the installation dinner that we had about year ago, and he showed up wearing dress blues as a Marine Corps captain," Atkinson said. "He was wearing ribbons and everything like that."

He said Bramlett wore a Silver Star and several Purple Hearts and told of being wounded in Iraq by an improvised explosive device.

"I questioned it, because he didn't have any combat action ribbons," Atkinson said. "It just didn't jive, so everyone started asking questions."

Atkinson said the "dead giveaway" was when Bramlett arrived at a funeral service a few days later in full uniform with his sword on the wrong side.

Members of the Marine Corps League took pictures and forwarded the information to the FBI office in Springfield.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com