Military police impostor gets probation
A former Army specialist whose antics related to posing as an active duty first sergeant with the military police has pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted oppression under color of office.
District Judge Stewart Bell on May 14 ordered Donald R. Raibaldi of Las Vegas to serve five years probation under a suspended sentence of one to four years prison time.
The conditions of his probation, according to court documents, are that he complete a psychological counseling program, perform four hours of community service, make no contact with his victim and complete any other counseling program deemed necessary by the state Division of Parole and Probation.
Las Vegas police arrested Raibaldi on Nov. 23. He had been under surveillance by detectives after they were told he was claiming to be a secret operative in the special forces and harassing members of the Nevada National Guard.
He was charged with felony counts of aggravated stalking, oppression under color of office, and attempted oppression under color of office, and a gross misdemeanor of impersonating a military police officer.
Police said Raibaldi showed up at an August gun show at Cashman Field Center and harassed soldiers in the National Guard, telling a recruiter he was going to "go Rambo" on him. That same month, while wearing an Army uniform, Raibaldi got into a traffic accident and was released after telling officers he was a military police officer about to be deployed.
The State of Nevada Military Department of Domestic Operations then sent out an alert, telling staffers to avoid contact with Raibaldi, warning that he was believed to be armed and dangerous.
Under Raibaldi's guilty plea agreement on March 18, if he is successful on probation, he can withdraw his plea and plead guilty to misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence.
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