An Army deserter who pretended for years to be a Special Ops sergeant and Purple Heart recipient was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in federal prison.
Simon Emilio Zablah, a 29-year-old resident of Broward County, Florida, pleaded guilty in November to two charges of impersonating a federal officer and one count of credit card fraud.
Despite going AWOL from the Army within two weeks of enlisting in January 2005 — and later being discharged on “other than honorable conditions” — for years Zablah identified himself as a federal agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency, as well as a member of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Special Ops forces and a recipient of the prestigious Purple Heart award.
The masquerade ended after he was pulled over for speeding in April 2015 and gave law enforcement identification falsely portraying him to be a member of the U.S. military in an attempt to get out of a $205 ticket, the Palm Beach Post reported. Prosecutors said he previously used his false status to receive perks, including free meals.
In 2013, Zablah claimed to be an U.S. Army Reserve sergeant in order to get a job with a uniform supply company, the Post reported. The fraud charges were brought because prosecutors said he used a customer’s credit card to rack up more than $3,500 in unauthorized charges.
“I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve done,” Zablah told U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley at Monday’s sentencing hearing, the Sun-Sentinel reported. “What I’ve done is not only dishonorable, it’s disrespectful.”
Zablah faced a maximum sentence of 16 years, but prosecution and defense attorneys agreed to a recommendation of 366 days and mental health treatment.
“I think they’re giving you a break and I’m willing to participate in that,” Judge Hurley told Zablah, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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