Mark Paffrath, a 28-year-old U.S. Navy vet who served in the Middle East, was fired from his hotel job and called a terrorist for posting pictures and video of Homeland Security vehicles parked in the hotel's garage, according to ArgusNewsNow.com.
After leaving work Thursday at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Chesterfield, Missouri, Paffrath noticed the parking garage was chock full of Homeland Security vehicles. In his amazement, he decided to snap a few pictures and a video and post them to Facebook. His post read, "why are all the cop cars here...I wonder if it has anything to do with Ferguson." It was hashtagged, "#Ferguson #NoJusticeNoPeace."
As he arrived for work on Friday, General Manager Jeff Baker called Paffrath into the office to request the post be removed, which he did immediately, and his day went on as normal.
But at the start of his Saturday shift, Paffrath was again called into the office to speak with the company's Director of Security, Jim Bohnert. In this meeting, Paffrath was told his Facebook post nearly cost the company a $150,000 contract with the Department of Homeland Security and he was fired on the spot.
Paffrath said Bohnert labeled him "a terrorist" and said, "you have dishonorably served your country by posting the photos and video." Bohnert went on to threaten that if the photos or video were posted again, the federal government would come knocking at his door.
ArgusNewsNow.com visited the garage and confirmed the presence of "over 100 Homeland Security vehicles, row after row." They also investigated the background of Bohnert and found out he was not only a former Assistant Special Agent with the Secret Service, but also a St. Louis police officer.
A statement from the Drury Hotels Company was never received.
Watch the news report below:
After leaving work Thursday at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Chesterfield, Missouri, Paffrath noticed the parking garage was chock full of Homeland Security vehicles. In his amazement, he decided to snap a few pictures and a video and post them to Facebook. His post read, "why are all the cop cars here...I wonder if it has anything to do with Ferguson." It was hashtagged, "#Ferguson #NoJusticeNoPeace."
As he arrived for work on Friday, General Manager Jeff Baker called Paffrath into the office to request the post be removed, which he did immediately, and his day went on as normal.
But at the start of his Saturday shift, Paffrath was again called into the office to speak with the company's Director of Security, Jim Bohnert. In this meeting, Paffrath was told his Facebook post nearly cost the company a $150,000 contract with the Department of Homeland Security and he was fired on the spot.
Paffrath said Bohnert labeled him "a terrorist" and said, "you have dishonorably served your country by posting the photos and video." Bohnert went on to threaten that if the photos or video were posted again, the federal government would come knocking at his door.
ArgusNewsNow.com visited the garage and confirmed the presence of "over 100 Homeland Security vehicles, row after row." They also investigated the background of Bohnert and found out he was not only a former Assistant Special Agent with the Secret Service, but also a St. Louis police officer.
A statement from the Drury Hotels Company was never received.
Watch the news report below: