Mont. Deputy Who Lied About Combat Service Resigns

A Lake County (Mont.) Sheriff's deputy has resigned, after a P.O.S.T. investigation revealed he lied about his prior military service as a combat veteran.

Sgt. Dan Duryee, the commander of the agency's Special Response Team, resigned last week. His last day on the job will be Thursday.

Duryee admitted to making the false claims in September 2010. A few colleagues in the Lake County Sheriff's Department had suspected Duryee's detailed combat stories were fabricated, and in May 2010 they asked the Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Council to investigate, reports the Missoula Independent.

Duryee is also one of four Lake County deputies facing wide-ranging federal misconduct allegations. The deputies allegedly operated an illegal poaching group called the "Coyote Club." Duryee is also accused of using skull fragments from a suicide victim to help another deputy train a police cadaver dog.