James Michael Sloan; phony Army Corps of Engineers

| June 2, 2017

ABC Region 8 tells the odd story of 73-year-old James Michael Sloan in Baxter County, Arkansas where he pretended to be a member of the Army Corps of Engineers. He was fist reported to police when his credit card charge for the rental payment on a resort cottage was declined, but he slipped through the cops;

On May 28, another report was taken at Robinson Point Park on Lake Norfork that said a man, later identified as Sloan, falsely identified himself as a U. S. Army Corp of Engineers volunteer campground coordinator. The report said he was directing campers to evacuate the campground due to a potential flood.

The sheriff’s office said a camper challenged Sloan about the flood risk, at which time Sloan reportedly said: “we will evaluate or die.”

Sloan had left the area before the deputy arrived this time as well.

Sloan was arrested by the Mountain Home Police Department on May 30 on separate charges.

He was taken to the Baxter County Detention Center. There, investigators were able to identify Sloan as the suspect in the campground incident. He was arrested on the above incidents.

Sloan faces criminal impersonation, theft, and disorderly conduct through the Baxter County Sheriff’ Office, as well as criminal trespass through the Mountain Home Police Department.

I can’t even guess why he’d try to evacuate campers, unless it was his intention to steal the stuff they’d leave behind. Weird.

Category: Dumbass Bullshit

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ChipNASA

LOVE the tie-dye hippie tee shirt.

Silentium Est Aureum

He did way too much LDS back in the 60’s.

Martinjmpr

Obscure ST IV reference, nice. 😉

Eden

Touche’!

HMC Ret

I’m not sure he ever stopped.

desert

He just wanted a nice quiet campground all to himself! wazz rong wid dat?

Poetrooper

Maybe someone was fishing in his favorite spot…

Mick

Possible dementia?

Graybeard

I was wondering that myself.

Forest Green

Probably missed his meds. Weird stuff happens when some of these people miss their meds; I can attest to that.

The Old Maj

I am thinking mental. Don’t know about dementia, lots of things would fit. The problem is most of the the time the police won’t arrest for straight up mental unless the guy fessed up or refused treatment.

General weirdness.

Graybeard

At his age it could be about anything.

Aftereffects of a stroke impairing his cognitive functions or a hundred other things.

Some of the residents of the nursing home where my brother lives have some… interesting… behavior patterns.

I feel pity for the man and his family. He may have disrupted someone’s weekend, but until we learn more about his mental state, I’m holding off on this one.

Ex-PH2

Seriously?

Geezer in a tie-dye tee? Did he reek of weed, too?

Claiming to be part of the Army Corps of Engineers is at least creative, but isn’t he a little up there in years to be pretending this kind of thing?

Ex-PH2

(snerrrkkk!) Thanks for the heads up!!!

Jonp

Here i thought everyone wanted to be a SEAL all the while the real hardcore action was in the AC of E campgrounds.

Martinjmpr

Y’all are wrong. He is 100% legit.

As a veteran of many camping trips to Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds (OK, ONE trip) I can tell you that the official motto of the ACOE Volunteer Campground Coordinators is indeed “Evaluate or Die.”

Now, if I had endless time and mad photochop skillz I’d fab up a wicked patch and DUI featuring that motto. 😀

HMCS(FMF) ret

Wow… must have been a bad LSD flashback… and that shirt…

Carlton G. Long

He caught the PTSD when Gen Patton slapped that soldier. He wasn’t there in the tent, he saw it in the movie…last year on Netflix.

QM1

Phony Civil Service employees? Ha ha, I’ve seen it all now.

Martinjmpr

Even better, phony volunteer employee.

Hack Stone

That won’t look good on his resume.

Wilted Willy

At least he didn’t claim to be a Ranger or Force Recon or some such bullshit. How much bling can a campground keeper get???

Jonp

How bad you want that primo camping spot?

Club Manager

Of ALL the things I would NOT associate myself with is the US Army Corps of Engineers. Not even for a NDSM. You pull that imposter stuff in Arkansas and you are subject to get a good ass whupping in addition to being arrested. Now if he claimed to be a Corp Force RECON or sniper, then he would have been creditable. That’s for all the f’d up buildings you built for me over the years USACOE.

A Proud Infidel®™

HEY, he COULD HAVE been something as badassed as a ACOE Recon Scout Sniper, SEAL OR PJ!!

Was he even a Volunteer Litter-Grabber?

MistytheMedic

As has been previously stated in this thread, I’m also going to hold off on this one. The guy is in his 70s, and who knows what his mental faculties or medical history is? He wasn’t doing anything truly nefarious, just an old guy trying to be a hero in his own mind by “saving lives.”
We shall see.

OAE CPO USN Ret

In the comments section from the Baxter County Sheriff’s FB post about the guy, one of the commenters said he was also arrested for stalking an employee at Coltons (a steak house in Mtn Home, AR).

That’s backed up by the sheriffs press release about the arrest: “JAMES MICHAEL SLOAN was arrested by the City of Mountain Home Police Department on May 30th on a separate charges unrelated to the two above incidents, and he was brought to the Detention Center for booking. Sheriff’s Investigators were able to identify SLOAN as the suspect in the campground incident, and he was also then arrested on charges related to the two incidents under investigation.”

Press release: http://www.baxtercountysheriff.com/press_view.php?id=1768

Sheriffs FB post: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10155444955722164&id=141285017163

It isn’t the guys first go around with Baxter County law enforcement either.

Back in 2011 he was arrested
http://www.baxtercountysheriff.com/press_view.php?id=648

This article has the guys mugshot from 2011.
https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/02/12/grappling-with-a-gun-at-gastons