Air Force pilot vandalized pro-Bush cars
AP via Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 7/15/2006 | Staff

DENVER - An Air Force officer with hundreds of hours of combat time pleaded guilty Friday to defacing cars with bumper stickers supporting President Bush, and was given a two-year deferred sentence and ordered to pay for the damage he caused.

Lt. Col. Alexis Fecteau, a decorated officer who flew 500 combat hours in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Bosnia, pleaded guilty to felony mischief and must pay restitution to the owners of the damaged cars to clear his record.

Fecteau, 43, of Colorado Springs, did not speak during or after the hearing.

Fecteau's lawyer, Patrick Mulligan said his client, a 20-year veteran, has submitted his retirement papers. Negotiations are under way to determine at what rank and with what benefits he will be retired.

Mulligan said he will work with other lawyers to determine how much must be paid in restitution. ''Fecteau has always expressed a desire'' to pay for the damage he caused.

Mulligan said the plea agreement ''affords Lt. Col. Fecteau the opportunity to get back on track,'' noting his record will be cleared in two years if he stays out of trouble.

Fecteau originally faced 13 charges for defacing vehicles at the Denver airport from January to July 2005. Fecteau admitted to investigators he had vandalized cars starting around the time of the November 2004 election, but pleaded guilty to a single charge of criminal mischief that named all 13 victims.

Fecteau blacked out pro-Bush bumper stickers, then spray-painted an expletive over them.

After the charges became public, Fecteau was removed as director of operations for reserve forces at the National Security Space Institute at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.