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Owner of troubled uniform store arrested

The operator of a private-sector business that sold uniform items to service members has been arrested in New Jersey on fugitive warrants from Florida, federal officials said.

Carmine Annunziata, who operated Armed Forces Military Clothing Sales Store (Armed Forces MCSS) in Jamaica, N.Y., before moving his store to New Jersey near Joint Base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst, was arrested at his home early on Jan. 18, said Inspector Robert Kurtz, of the U.S. Marshals Service New York-New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.

At the time of the arrest, officials seized two Army uniforms belonging to Annunziata, Kurtz said. “We’re in the information-gathering stage of looking into whether he impersonated an Army major,” Kurtz said, noting that law enforcement officials have confirmed with the Army that Annunziata has never been in the military. One picture of him in an Army uniform shows an “Annunziata” name plate and MP arm patch.

Annunziata was arrested on charges of violating probation in Volusia County, Fla., on a prior conviction for stolen property and theft, and violating probation in Orange County, Fla., on a prior larceny conviction, according to Kurtz. Annunziata is under house arrest and the process has begun to have him extradited to Florida, Kurtz said.

Kurtz confirmed that Annunziata is a former owner and operator of the Armed Forces MCSS store in New York that has now relocated to New Jersey. Both stores were commercial enterprises and not connected with the Defense Department, although they give the appearance of being connected to the military. At the Joint Base Uniform & Equipment Center store in New Jersey, large replicas of the service branches’ seals are displayed in the windows, along with a sign reading “Force Protection Condition 100% ID Checks.”

Annunziata did not return calls for comment.

A number of service members have contacted Military Times about Armed Forces MCSS beginning in 2008, complaining that the company processed their payments but didn’t send the items they ordered and refused to provide refunds. Some troops reported receiving threatening calls from Armed Forces MCSS employees. In May 2008, the New York Better Business Bureau had 26 complaints listed about Armed Forces MCSS, and the BBB rated the business “unsatisfactory” for its complaint response record.

Kurtz said the U.S. Marshals Service is not investigating allegations related to Armed Forces MCSS sales to service members, but added: “I believe he’s a danger to society and to any service member who walks into his store with a credit card in his hand.”

Kurtz can be reached at Robert.Kurtz@usdoj.gov.