Georgia VFW post commander faces charges in ‘stolen valor’ case
LAVONIA, Ga. - The post commander of a northeast Georgia VFW is being accused of altering documents to claim she was a veteran and to obtain a Purple Heart license plate.
Gabrielle Beutler, 31, of Bowersville, was charged with one count of forgery, two counts of distributing false IDs, and two counts of misrepresentation of veteran status.
Beutler was sworn-in as the first female post commander of VFW Post 5897 in Lavonia in June, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says. Investigators say Beutler, who represented herself as a veteran, had altered a U.S. Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty form, presenting it to the VFW. GBI agents say they also found evidence she used fake documents to get Purple Heart license plates for her vehicles.
Beutler was taken into custody at the VFW post without incident.
The GBI was asked to investigate the claims last week by the Lavonia Police Department after the accusations came to light.