A U.S. Air Force service member who vanished 40 years ago from an Air Force Base in North Dakota was found last week – 40 years later – living a double life in Florida, WFTV reported.
Jeffrey Michels, 64, was arrested last Thursday on charges of desertion and was being held by the U.S. Air Force.
Michels failed to report for duty at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on July 6, 1977, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons website, WFTV reported.
Michels had not been seen since 1977 until the Facebook group “Veteran Doe” posted a picture of him in July.
Michels lived with his wife and kids under the alias Jeffrey Lantz. He used that name to obtain a license from the state of Florida in 1998 for his construction business named Atlantic Development Corporation, WFTV reported.
According to investigators, Michels won’t be faced with any charges, and he doesn’t face a court-martial.
Jeff Levkuvlich (Twitter)
“The statute of limitations ran out, and Michels won’t be charged or court-martialed,” said Special Agent John P. Longmire IV, Det. 802 Commander. “He has been brought back onto active duty at his previous rank of E-3. He will be given a discharge under ‘Other Than Honorable’ conditions.”
