A Kandiyohi County judge found Richard Arthur Rahn, 54, guilty Tuesday of two counts of possessing firearms after being convicted of a previous violent felony. The verdict, first reported by the Forum News Service, came about two months after Rahn pleaded guilty to the charges, amending his original not guilty plea from October. Additional charges involving hunting violations and obstruction of the legal process were dismissed.
Rahn attended multiple events in uniform in and around the town of Olivia, about two hours west of Minneapolis, according to residents interviewed by Army Times last year. His appearance and mannerisms — an improper ribbon rack, a badge that would've required him to have served in the Korean War, an ever-present toothpick and an inability to answer basic military-related questions — raised red flags among some of those veterans, which eventually led to the involvement of law enforcement.
Rahn wasn't an active-duty soldier, as he'd claimed when talking with residents: The This Ain't Hell blog found he'd been discharged as a private in 1982. Police discovered his prior convictions in Florida and Washington, and had tips that he possessed weapons. They arrested him Sept. 9 after finding one in his residence, then found two more firearms and an Army dress uniforms in a storage locker the next day.
Rahn's uniform and mannerisms led some veterans in a small Minnesota community to question whether he'd earned the rank and honors he wore. Those questions indirectly led to an arrest and conviction on unrelated firearms charges.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Chet Blue
