REPOST: Posted and removed Jan. 26, 2010

So here's my original blog that had been removed as per FBI request:

I can't believe I'm having to write this but here goes....I found out today that it was all a hoax. The man that claimed to have 'found' my son through "Homeland Security" is a con man. Has been for years and years according to reports from Massachusetts. This man went through this entire, elaborate scheme JUST to scam me and my family! He claimed to have 'inside connections' to Homeland Security and that's whom he claimed he was utilizing to get into the sealed adoption records. Wow! (I thought) after years of hitting dead ends we've finally found someone that could get us his name!!! Not only did he supply this set of 'Secure Documents" but also his name, his address, the types of vehicles he owned, his adoptive parents' names and that he worked for US Customs and Border Patrol in the Port of Los Angeles and had a level 2 security clearance and that the only criminal record he had was a DUI 4 months ago....BUT I couldn't try to contact him for several months because they'd KNOW that his "record" had been pulled by Homeland Security and, if I came 'up on the radar' within that time period that I could be arrested and held until I revealed my source; thus, causing several 'high security people' serious trouble. I bought it, ladies and gentlemen. Hook, line and sinker. EVERY BIT OF IT LIES!! How did we find out??

Along comes my wonderful search angel, Carol. She couldn't WAIT to get his contact info so that I could make contact with him; telling me that the line I was getting from 'him' was bogus and made no sense. After a few days of waiting for a picture from his "jacket" that was promised to me LAST week, I began to wonder. Last night, with Carol's encouragement and support, I called the apartment complex that he supposedly lived in; the woman in the renter's office had been there for 5 years and handled all leases and payments and said that no one by that name lived there, nor had anyone with that name lived there for, at least, the past five years. RED FLAG....DUH.

Today; called a couple of knowledgeable folks out there and got a contact number for the US Customs and Border Patrol office that handles the Port of Los Angeles ( and a WHOLE bunch of other ports of entry, too)....I spoke to a lovely lady whom was kind enough to check the data base for my sons 'name' and date of birth....she was sorry to tell me that no one with that name and date of birth was employed by US Customs and Border Patrol. RED FLAG AGAIN!! But, here' s trusting, desperate me...still wanting to believe the good in everyone....called a private detective that I had just met to explain to her what this man had given me, where the information reportedly came from, the explanations he had given me about not being able to contact my son, etc. She, not liking what she heard, offered to do a background search for me...and low and behold! All the info is right there, in google-land!! I, at this moment, and as of about 11:15 am EST, am covered in hives, have a horrible pounding headache, an upset stomach and other physical ailments that I don't like to have, let alone make you read about. Both of my children have tummy aches tonight, as well. I had no choice but to tell them that it was all a lie.

We have learned, just this afternoon, that this man has an EXTENSIVE con man history....starting up near Worcester, Mass and carrying on through FL. Not only conning people out of their money but also pretending to be a 3 star General from the Air Force, a former fighter pilot (he has a civilian pilot's license) to being retired from Blackwater and owning a castle in England that he inherited from a former multi-million dollar employer. Lying about things as simple as how his first wife died; telling us all that she had been involved in a car accident, treated at a local hospital and released, then falling down dead suddenly from an undetected brain bleed. Real story: she died of 'sudden respiratory failure of unknown cause'...are you thinking what I'm thinking??

Now I'm angry...we're all angry...but, worst of all, my 2 daughters are DEVASTATED. They thought that, after almost 9 years of searching, that we had finally found their brother. I think they were as excited as I was!!! Their hearts are broken. My heart is broken. Now comes the question WHY??????? He didn't (or at least hadn't up till now) ask me for any money. This was being done as a 'personal favor for his sis' (that's what he called me)...so no money needed. WHY??? What kind of MONSTER prays on a desperate birth mom and her family? What kind of MONSTER pretends to have 'inside connections' to sealed records KNOWING DAMN WELL THAT HE DID NOT!!!!????!!!!! Why would someone DO this to another human being??? If I could contain my anger, heart break and disgust near him I'd be almost curious to see how he was going to con his way out of this one! Our guess: he had told me just this past Monday that he had, once again, contacted his connection in Homeland Security to request my son's cell phone number and 'jacket' picture and that he, himself, was going to contact my son and fake an interview for a Blackwater job...he would then ask him a battery of personal questions that included whether my son had ever considered finding his birth mother. I FLIPPED out on him...telling him that he couldn't do that; he has NO KNOWLEDGE of either side of the adoption trauma and that, without knowledge, he could ruin ANY chance I had at meeting my son. This man then told me that he was going to do it with or without my blessing. So, the hunch is that he would have come to me and said that my son had no interest in me so as not to blow his con artist cover but still, in his eyes, look like the hero by being able to get information that no one else could get.

For those of you that know me personally, you know what an error it was for this man to mess with my family; especially the hearts, spirits and souls of my daughters. There are already things set in motion to see how this man's karma can come back at him 1,000 fold through legal and public entities; anyone that knows me knows just how resourceful I can be. But now there's been a multitude of search angels, 2 different private investigators and a multitude of supporters that I have met over the years of searching yet we still are NO closer to finding my son.

So what I'm doing is setting up a web site in order to accept monetary donations until I've reached my goal of $3,500. so that I can hire Kinsolving to find my son for me. They are the ONLY organization out there known to find the 'unfindable'. I have sent them an inquiry and they say that they can help me so I've gotta do it. But there's NO WAY we can afford their fee...it would take me another couple of years to save up that much money in this economy. I can't wait that long. My site is www.findmyson.org It will be up and running within the next 24-48 hours. Donations will be accepted by paypal at melanee.findmyson@gmail.com as well. If you know anyone that would help, PLEASE send them to either place...my heart can't take any more disappointment. Thank you all for reading my blog.

Now, there have been some changes since this blog originally hit the net.....the FBI decided NOT to pursue charges against this man; although he continues to pretend to be a 3-star general and carries a fake military ID (which is a blatant violation of the Stolen Valor Act of 2005) because he's deemed a 'white collar' criminal. After direct contact with various arms of law enforcement; from the FBI down to local police officers, it's acceptable to say that some people CAN get away with anything! There are 2 confirmed warrants for this man in Massachusetts; however, the state will not extradite him from Florida.