The former director of counseling at a nonprofit for veterans in Houston was charged with altering his military discharge papers after the Houston Chronicle reported that he had been lying about his Army record and falsely claiming a Silver Star and other medals.

A federal grand jury indicted Paul A. Schroeder, 40, of The Woodlands, on Thursday for unlawfully possessing and exhibiting a certificate of discharge from the military, “knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered.” The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

In his job at the nonprofit PTSD Foundation of America, Schroeder mentored veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and led group therapy sessions at local churches and the Star of Hope Mission. He also lectured at least half a dozen times at the Houston Police Academy as part of a post-traumatic stress awareness program for officers and cadets.

The Army veteran portrayed himself as a highly decorated Special Forces sergeant first class who suffered from PTSD after serving in combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and Central and South America. In fact, Schroeder had served 10 years as a military policeman stationed in New York, Panama and Texas. He left the Army as a sergeant in February 2001, before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan even started.

Schroeder resigned from PTSD Foundation in February after confessing to a Chronicle reporter that he had lied about his record.

In an interview with the Chronicle at the time, he said he didn’t know why he misled people about his service record and medals.

“You can call it a desperate act of a desperate man,” he said. “… I’m trying to do the honorable thing now.”

Read the findings of a Chronicle investigation into the charity Schroeder worked for by clicking here.

Read the indictment below:

Schroeder indictment