William Street impersonates SF officer/doctor

The media is all enamored with the story of William Douglas Street, Jr. whom they call “legendary” – he nothing but a career criminal who steals other people’s identity. He’s been doing it for more than 40 years, much of that time spent alternately in jail or on probation. He has terrorized women and children of his victims with threats of violence, but Hollywood once made a movie about him, so, you know, he must be cool.

His latest victim was a Special Forces officer turned doctor, a graduate of West Point;

This most recent arrest resulted from an investigation into bad checks Street allegedly wrote to a jeweler and dry cleaner, and when police found him, they reportedly found evidence of another stolen identity: William Benn Stratton, M.D. The name was embroidered in a lab coat found in Street’s car.

Street is also said to have possessed alumni cards from West Point and Duke University, in addition to a West Point class ring in Stratton’s name. (Stratton, a former Green Beret, attended both schools.) Street told the FBI he only used Stratton’s name to get a job, the Detroit News reports, but Street allegedly took on Stratton’s identity at multiple alumni events, including one at which he spoke, posing as Stratton. He also reportedly used the identity to try and pick up women.

According to court records cited by the Detroit News, Street’s interest in Stratton began when he saw an article about Stratton running a marathon. The article mentioned Stratton’s alma mater, and Street later told the FBI that West Point seemed like “a good place to be from.”

The Detroit News seems to love their favorite son the most, you know despite the fact that he really is a felon who destroys the lives of the people he impersonates.

On Feb. 21, investigators finally tracked him to a Plymouth Township home, where his lawyer said Street lives with a wife and helps care for a step-daughter with special needs. They spotted Street leaving in a Ford Fusion and pulled him over.

What investigators learned during the arrest and found inside the car triggered Street’s most serious legal problem.

During the traffic stop, Street allegedly gave police a U.S. Military Academy at West Point alumni card, according to court records. The card belonged to a man named “William Benn Stratton.”

Street was immediately arrested.

Inside the Fusion, investigators found a white lab coat embroidered with the University of Michigan logo, the words Frankel Cardiovascular Center and the name William Benn Stratton M.D.

“He was not working there,” Plymouth Twp. Police Lieutenant Det. Robert Antal said. “He was at U of M, saw the lab coat laying around and he picked it up. He’s just an opportunist. If he sees something, he takes it and takes on that role.”

Officers also found alumni cards from West Point, Duke University and a Harvard ID.

On his finger, officers found a West Point class ring bearing Stratton’s name and the year 1983.

At Street’s home, investigators allegedly found copies of diplomas from West Point and Duke and academic transcripts belonging to William Benn Stratton.

“Oh my God, you can’t make this stuff up,” the real William Benn Stratton told The News during a phone interview Wednesday. “I am completely dumbfounded and speechless.”

Street’s defense lawyer Joseph Arnone called the case “an interesting one, that’s for sure.”

But, you know, he has a special needs step-daughter, so that will probably justify his criminality. After all, he was impersonating a rich guy, who, by the way, is ten years younger than Street…and white.

Street told the FBI he only used Stratton’s name to find a job.

Not true, the FBI said. Street attended multiple alumni events, posing as his alleged victim.

“In one incident, he actually spoke at an alumni event, posing as (Stratton),” Koenigstein, the FBI special agent, testified during a recent court hearing.

“He also used it to pick up women,” the FBI agent said.

That bit made Stratton laugh.

“I’m recently divorced,” he said. “I hope my class ring and name worked better for him than me.”

Category: Shitbags